The Planet and the Star
by Hearts A Mess
Summary: Alone in another galaxy, one can feel lost- overwhelmed. When memory returns and a path is decided, who will you share your journey with? AU
1. The Fable

**Claptrap is the best word to describe this story. Sometimes I get carried away, so that's why this is so long and elaborate but in the end- it's just a contradiction of itself. Convincing smut. Trashy, epic space-romance. A blatant disregard for Wookiepedia and creating the rest of the SW world as I go along. Basically… don't take it seriously. If it ever gets too ridiculous to where you roll your eyes, just remember; I told you. The original idea isn't even mine, but based heavily off of **_**Amelia's Hope **_**in the beginning chapters. Enjoy.**

* * *

If there was anything that she could discern from the void, it was the concrete feeling of being alone. Her eyes could not prove anything, except for the blank void of fatigue that had no care for the rest of the world other than the hunger that gnawed at her stomach, crawling up, into her lungs to finally produce itself as a moan.

The noise reverberated in short wave against her ears; she was in small quarters. That was for sure, instinct told her. It only compounded her loneliness. But it was at a higher level of loneliness, it was the dregs of hopelessness that entered her mind.

Like looking up from the bottom of an ocean- where the black oblivion of death lingered at the edges of her eyes- where nothing made sense and her body refused to respond… a hand burst through the surface, endlessly reaching down, never wavering in its attempt to reach her, and with it, brought the light.

* * *

Language was lost on her, but she didn't need a translator to hear the malice in the words. Her eyes tried desperately to focus on who was gripping her, but the strength of her brain seemed to no longer have connection with her body.

Like a swift brushfire, a powerful pain ripped through her consciousness. A foreign force took up residence in her body, draining her painfully. She felt her mouth open for a scream, but her ears no longer registered sound. The pain was now an echo and her body had crumpled to the ground. The man, (_was it a man?_ she thought) had dropped her, holding instead a pulsating globe of red in his grasp. Inside, her blood swirled against the confines of the orb, as if to move away from his satisfied gaze. He left, stirring up the thin air of the cell.

She wondered how many times this particular exchange had happened, and how many more that she could endure. She was particularly frightened that the sensation was familiar, and was not surprised to see her blood controlled within his hands. Thinking about anything besides the pain that was now subsiding in her, she struggled to remember a time when her world was not one the dark room, with odd fittings, and strange robes, but she could remember nothing. Even her name sounded foreign to her. She was weak… and with her memory fading, Thera knew she was dying. Desperation had set in and it wasn't long before she was at borderline panic. If she wanted to survive she had to get out, now.

There was a quiet sizzle of electronic wiring. It was the panel door, but now jerkily pulled aside to reveal the bleak hallway beyond. It wasn't long before she flew out the door and down the narrow hallways, searching for a final exit.

Anxiety came to her again; she was being followed. Sucking in a gasp, Thera fought to her feet as a pressing sensation began to cover her skin. It felt like she was sinking into deep water; a slow building pressure. She took a step forward, then another, until the footsteps came fast and in uneven succession. It was not long that the giddiness of her blood loss led to panic and that every cell in her body ached for help. She pressed a button for one of the lifts, and drew in ragged breaths until the hum of the compartment come to her level.

Propping herself against the inside panel of the lift, she slammed her hand onto the console and felt it descend. The terror in the ship was growing. The feeling of it coming closer was overpowering, and she could do nothing but wait until the lift doors opened. And yet, slowly, in her mind, she sensed the approach of something good; a strong feeling, similar to a beacon that encircled her chest and began to grow. She dared not take comfort in it just yet.

The Sith had sensed it too and his thoughts snarled; a _Jedi._

Quickening his pace, he cut through the corridors and down through the emergency shaft to the landing bay. He had not worried of the escape at first. There was nowhere for her to go, and no one dared to approach the ship at this altitude. No matter, a Jedi was coming. He needed a challenge.

Thera burst through the doors and out into a spacious landing bay; two large openings flanking each side of the platform. There was nothing around that could come to her aid, and her last option was to see how she could get down. Looking wildly about, she saw a glowing diagram next to the lift; the distinct picture of a shield around the landing bay. Lifting a nearby storage crate and with her last ounce of strength, she hurtled it towards the computer. It sent out a dazzling array of sparks on impact and she watched as the light outside the landing bay became clear, crisp. Next to her the lift was humming again.

In an ungainly stumble, she took off towards the platform edge. She had to see- had to know that she did everything that she could, but as she neared the edge it was apparent that they were several thousand feet from the surface. More so, that it looked nothing like her home. Thera's heart sank as she took in the green, yellow and brown mineral lakes that made up the surface. Not only was she still trapped, but it was too foreign...she was in another world entirely.

She looked about her holdings, trying to take it in as she fought the terrible vertigo. She could see they were high above land, with mauve clouds floating past and the evening stars starting to show on the horizon. The air was thin and wispy; there didn't seem to be enough oxygen to breathe.

She allowed her weak knees to buckle and fell against the edge of the platform. The sensation that once encircled her heart had now spread to her fingers. Despite the warm feeling, Thera could not ignore the sound of the lift opening.

They were both coming.

Raising her head, her hair hung like thick brown cables against the cold flooring. The sound of a heavy rumbling- a speeder came racing into the hold, terrifyingly close. With the new vessel partially blocking her view, Thera curled into herself and listened as there was an electronic hiss and a blaze of blue light.

The Force had never called Obi-wan that strongly before. Master Windu had been hesitant to turn their craft around and head for an unregulated planet of the Oberon system, but when Obi-wan jumped in the speeder and began heading for the detra lakes, his hunch had turned into a magnetic pull. He didn't even wait for the speeder to land before he threw himself between the girl and the Sith.

Lightsabers crashed, sizzling and throwing the shadowy landing bay into sharp blue and red shadow. Thera watched through the twilight wind as the two fought furiously, seamlessly. Then with a swift counter attack, blue sliced through the red, and it was with a hushed gurgle that the shadow of panic and fear dissipated from her senses and sunk to the floor.

There was a pause as Obi-wan regarded his dead opponent and silenced his lightsaber. The Jedi turned to the girl, taking in her appearance. A humanoid, he saw, covered by an old medical tunic. Her eyes were wide as she watched him approach and took in his form. Out of habit from her captivity she backed away, the whipping wind reminding her that she was already at the end of the platform.

He tucked away his lightsaber and knelt a few feet away. He held a hand out before her, palm up.

"My name is Obi-wan Kenobi."

Again the language was lost on Thera, but this soft voice was soothing. The emotion in her eyes was raging; fear, doubt, fascination, and a hard sort of determination that did not match her pallid appearance.

"Come with me," he said, catching her eyes and holding them. "Please," he added, his hand giving an unconscious beckoning motion.

Thera swallowed visibly and with effort she slowly held out one hand. It was all Obi-wan needed. Leaning forward he took her hand and swept the girl up in his arms. She had the strength of a rag doll as he placed her in the speeder, and it was without a look back that Obi-wan jumped in and threw the craft into gear.

Her stomach lurched as the ground left them and the speeder shot out of the bay and into the open atmosphere. Gripping the sides, her dizziness turned into nausea and fought to keep her eyes on the horizon. The gesture was not lost on Obi-wan, but he felt speed was necessary. He didn't know how long she had been in captivity, but the Force inside of her was flickering.

"Try and keep your eyes open- do you understand me?" he called over the rushing wind. The girl made no indication that she had heard him, and blinked sluggishly.

Mace saw the young Jedi approaching at full speed and opened the landing dock on the cruiser. As the speeder smoothly landed, he pulled the girl out after him. Trying to set her on her feet, she swayed dangerously, her knees buckling. Mace approached, his face set in a frown.

"And who is this, Kenobi?"

"I do not know, Master Windu," Obi-wan replied, still holding the fainting girl upright. He put two fingers to her forehead, attempting to view the surface thoughts of her mind.

"Her thoughts are alien," he said. "And she's frightened senseless." Obi-wan took pity on her state and sent a strong sense of sleep into her. When her limbs eased and her forehead abruptly fell onto his chest, he picked her up and headed deeper into the ship. "I suggest we get out of here quickly, Master. Send a medidroid to me, I'll have her in the bacta tank."

* * *

The medidroid had worked on the girl through most of their hyperspace travel. It was only an hour after she had been submersed in the bacta tank that Mace announced they were approaching Coruscant. He and Master Windu had been returning from a mission for the council, but it was with trepidation that Obi-wan now realized the responsibility he had to this girl.

The main obstacle seemed to be communication; she had shown no recognition to Basic. He shook himself out of his reverie; there were translators on Coruscant, he reasoned as he turned away from the medidroid that was lifting the girl out of the bacta tank.

The skyline of Coruscant was clear and busy in the fading twilight, and the Jedi made quick time of landing on the main platform of the temple. Normally Obi-wan was made to oversee the decommissioning of the ship, but Mace waved him on ahead as the loading ramp opened.

"Get her settled, Kenobi. I'll meet with you to go over the report before the council."

He nodded, "Thank you Master. Could you also send her medical readouts to the healers ward?"

Mace returned the nod, understanding the implications, and watched as the young Jedi activated the levitation for the gurney.

It was not everyday that new occupants were unconscious while entering the temple. Obi-wan felt an odd disconnect between himself and the silent parade. Down the long archways, he led the caravan to the guests' quarters. He walked slowly next to the stretcher and allowed himself a moment to take in her features. Dirty, wounded, and terrorized in the cargo hold, she looked to be a young girl. Now healed and clean, she was more so a woman. He noted her face was quite strong when it wasn't expressing absolute terror.

He would have placed her in the mediward, but he knew the calming effect of the guest quarters would be more suitable when she awoke. In the formal bedchambers, Obi-Wan dimmed the windows and activated the room's system to send notice to his comlink when she would awake. He absently looked on as the medidroid carefully deposited her in the bed and took a final vitals reading before it left with the gurney.

Turning to examine the room, he felt unsettled. Here she would be protected; there was no safer place than the Jedi temple, but a sliver of the Force felt out of place. He compared the feeling to the sensation of an oncoming sickness, but he could do little until the actual symptoms showed.

Looking back towards the bed, her slow breathing showed she was already deep into dreams. He was loathed to leave her in such a state, but there was little else that was necessary. In the end he resolved to set up security surveillance to her suite connecting directly to his comlink, but that would have to wait. He needed to speak with the council.

He closed the door behind him and headed to the main congregational room, where Yoda had already called the members to order. Obi-wan made his way to the center of the room, facing the congregated masters. His robes swayed, settled, and the room was silent for a moment, each master examining him.

"Obi-wan Kenobi," Yoda announced, breaking the silence. "Of your mission for Oberon, inform the council."

Obi-wan nodded, and took a deep breath. "Master Windu and I had been patrolling the southern trade routes of Oberon's third system, as requested by Delegate Adavar. There had been some threats to the production supply lines for the settlements and Master Windu felt it best we observe under foreign clearance to see if we drew any attention. We did not. Returning from this mission, I felt a great disturbance in the Force along the outer planets of the Oberon system. I insisted that we follow my intuition, until it led us to the Detra Lakes of Porthan's moon, catalogued as Molgovale.

"By speeder, I found a rogue Cardassian cruiser and a girl in the landing bay, being pursued by a Sith. Whether he was an apprentice or a Sith lord, I could not discern. We dueled; he was struck down. I could feel her life force flickering and I felt it best to remove her as quickly as possible. I could sense no other presence aboard the vessel."

A collective tension swept through the council at the mention of a Sith. At the declaration of his defeat, a new glimmer of respect developed in their eyes. Depa Billaba leaned forward, "And why is she not here before us now?"

Obi-wan swallowed and continued. "When I brought her aboard the ship, she was weakened to the point of unconsciousness. Treated her in bacta. Her skin was-" he paused as the memory flooded him. The medical droid drawing back the fabric- "Scarred. She had been detained months, at the very least. But she healed well- she rests now in the guest chambers."

"Met this young woman, you have." Yoda grunted. "A strong call from the Force you have received?"

"She has a connection with the Force as well?" Depa interrupted, her eyebrow quirked at the unorthodox notion.

"She is far too old," Mace Windu cautioned as he caught wind of the direction the discussion was going. "I too have seen with the girl, and Master Yoda is right to call her a young woman. She is more woman than youth, and far beyond the years of a Padawan."

"Knight Kenobi has noted great strength, and to endure the captivity of a Sith…" Sura Majjin said.

Depa ruefully shook her head at the notion of captivity with Sith. She indeed was strong for someone to have survived, as only Jedi are trained to endure. Her deep voice was thoughtful as she spoke, "A notable discovery you have made, Jedi Kenobi. She is recovering, yes? I think it would be in her best interest that during her recovery that she remain here… and learn more of her, Obi-wan. A home world she must have, but guidance with the Force she may need more. Time spent here would allow us to observe her manner before making exceptions."

"Master Billaba, a wise suggestion," nodded Yoda. "Agreed, has the council?" There was a murmur of assent, and he turned back to Obi-wan."

"Speak to her, Obi-wan. Recover well, she will."


	2. Past and Present

The hours had slipped by as her skin healed with the coating film of bacta. Her mind and body seemed to reset, and finally her unconsciousness allowed her to dream. In the dim guest quarters, a voice came through the darkness. Demanding as much as threatening, she twisted and rolled in her sleep. It was the terrible sort of fear that she had felt in the ship hangar, and not something that she would remember later. She sat bolt upright, awake and gasping.

The room color tones were warm, soothing. She felt herself relax slightly and took the time to look around as the shades of the room lifted with her movement. Her eyes rested on the foreign decor, the odd panels that lined the walls, and the expansive windows that gave way to a skyline that made her do a comical double-take.

Slowly pulling herself from the bed, Thera approached the windows, her hands still clasped tightly around the blanket that she had slept with. Outside the city sprawled into the horizon, a never-ending labyrinth of muted silvers and blue-grays, spires and domes in the morning light. She watched with fascination as speeders and hovercraft flew around, and gradually the city lights began to increase in number. It was minutes along before tearing her gaze away and back towards the room.

She vaguely wondered if she was to wait for someone, or even if she should be out of the strange circular bed that she emerged from. Nevertheless, curiosity got the best of her as she ignored her sore muscles and approached a shifting panel. Drawing near, the door slid open to reveal an immaculately clean washroom and she was delighted by what appeared to be a steam bath. Nearly fainting with pleasure at the thought of it as she walked to the lip of the tub and regardless of who might walk in, and stripped away the medical tunic, sinking into the tepid water. It was unusually quiet in the quarters and as she washed off the foreign film from her skin, she noted that her wounds were gone. How long had it been since she had been rescued?

She stared blankly at the tendrils of steam as the water gradually heated. Her rescue. Is that what it was? Her mind whirled as she thought of the skyline outside of her window, and the strange language of her rescuer. Where was he? Where was _she_? Thera let the questions run their course in her mind as she finally had time and the strength to think about them. It would do no good to worry on them, but with each question that she tried to squeeze out of her mind, she felt perpetually lost. And alone. She cried into the bathwater.

The only consolation as she exited the steam room was that her muscles were feeling better. She dried off and explored the rooms' amenities. Standing awkwardly, Thera looked in an oddly shaped wardrobe and debated whether or not it was a cultural insult to take the clothes that she was now examining. She chose a pair of grey slacks that wrapped around her legs in so many confusing layers, that the final product almost formed a skirt. The only other piece that fit was a large white tunic that she cinched around her waist. She dearly hoped that she wasn't putting on nightclothes, and set about looking through the rest of the room.

Going through the inset cabinets and tapping the walls, she pushed buttons and jumped away from the panels that opened to expose hidden amenities. One was a plain vanity that held an impressive array of accessories, many of them she didn't dare touch. The simple mirror caught her attention though, and the face staring back was shocked. It had lost a familiar fullness that she used to recognize, and in its place were olive eyes, full lips, and prominent cheekbones. Her hair trailed down her back, nearly to her waist, the length longer than she had ever worn before.

Thera was struck with a sudden, crippling bout of homesickness as she looked away. Tears leaked down either side of her face and she attempted to comb her hair, her hand shaking with the effort. In a futile attempt to distract herself, she took a pair of scissors and cut the dead, frayed ends of her hair. The questions that she mulled over before were back again with a vengeance. How long had she been gone? How could she be so shocked at her own reflection?

She quelled the thoughts, knowing that none of the questions could be answered immediately. It would do no good to dwell on them now. Thera now stood under the dryer that had scared the living daylights out of her as she walked through the washroom earlier. She felt older than she remembered, and the woman that had stared back at her from the mirror had the memories of experience etched into her eyes. She looked older than twenty, and it was with the horrifying conclusion that she couldn't remember her age.

Her stomach growled. When was the last time she'd eaten? She stood and decided that her hunger trumped any reservations about going outside her room. She needed food, and she had questions.

There was a warm pulse that settled over her as she approached the door. Fleetingly reminding her of the sensation that she had experienced in the hangar, she opened the door to find Obi-wan waiting just a few feet from her. Thera stared at the Jedi in surprise; the pulse seeming to grow greater as she did.

"Good morning," he said, with a small smile.

Thera gawked, her jaw falling open slightly as she stepped back. She felt the comforting sensation emanating from him, but at the same time she was unsettled from the connection.

Obi-wan took a tentative step forward and gestured to the room. "May I have a word?"

Her brow furrowed and she spoke slowly, a questioning look taking over her features. "Mai eye halve a whord?"

His earlier guess was correct; she didn't speak Basic, the common tongue of the Republic. He stepped slowly into the quarters and gestured to follow him over to a mainframe console. As he activated the consol he turned to Thera who was standing close, peering at the computer in wonder.

"Obi-wan," he said quietly as she looked up at him. He laid his hand on his chest, "Obi-wan Kenobi."

Next to him the mainframe recognized his speech audio. On the screen his file came up and an old picture from his padawan years displayed, right before he was inducted to a full Knight.

He watched as a ghost of a grin curled onto her lips. "Short hair suits you," she said pointing at the picture. She blinked, hearing how different the languages were and realizing that he could not understand her. Looking back at him, she nodded and placed her hand over her chest, "Thera. Thera Munro."

Next to her the computer searched through the data of Coruscant, and then through the records of the registered citizens of the Republic. She stared at Obi-wan, and then turned her attention back to the mainframe. She knew she would not be found, but when the results stared at her in the face she began to wonder if she even existed. The same feeling of loss flooded through her, and Obi-wan felt the strong sensation rolling off of her through her Force signature.

"Thera…"

She stared past him and out at the Coruscant landscape, "Where am I?"

Obi-wan heard the question in her voice, but the database confirmed that it couldn't locate a dialect that matched her own.

She was staring at him again, her gaze traveling over his strange attire. Her voice cracked, "Who are you?"

Looking on, she saw the mainframe analyze planets and star systems, written in a language she had never seen. Her newly healed skin itched against her foreign clothing, "What happened to me?"

"Thera Munro," Obi-wan said calmly as he recognized the first symptoms of shock take over. "Everything will be explained, in time." When her eyes were still rooted to the mainframe, he gently pulled her shoulder around to face him.

He couldn't really blame her, alone in another world and unable to communicate her origins. She slowly slid out of his grasp and sat on the floor at his feet, hiding her face in her hands. Above her teary gasps, he could hear her stomach growl ferociously. Through the mainframe he requested a food order from the galley, and knelt down next to her with a sigh.

"Are you hungry?" Obi-wan asked, touching her shoulder for attention. She tried to compose herself and was sheepishly wiping her eyes as she looked back at him with confusion.

As if to answer her unasked question, the door to the suite opened and an R4 unit rolled in bearing a laden tray. He watched as Thera froze then leaned back towards him, wary of the droid's proximity.

"Are you hungry?" Obi-wan repeated as he motioned for her take from the platter that had now been set on the floor. He handed Thera plate and she took it, bemused as she tried to look at all of the food, the droid forgotten as it exited the suite. Unsure of her eating habits, he loaded her plate with a selection of fruit, several meats, flat breads, cheeses, and a tall glass of water from the main basin of the quarters. He picked at a few of the cheeses himself and then sat with Thera as she rather cautiously made her way through the pile of food.

Thera pointed at a rather bright purple piece of meat, her expression skeptical. Gesturing to herself again, she said "Thera Munro," and gestured to the odd meat. _And what is this exactly?_

"Kippa meat," he said with a grin. They sat on the floor of the room, the busy skyline of Coruscant in the background, Obi-wan naming the foods as she repeated them. He laughed aloud as she spat out a particularly nasty Verugan root and gave him a dirty look, returning her attention to the delicious cheese that Obi-wan claimed to be from Coruscant.

"Coruscant?" she gave him a confused look.

He gestured to the skyline below. "This is Coruscant."

"Oh," she breathed. "It really is beautiful."

It was his turn to look inquisitive. Thera thought for a moment on how to describe the way Coruscant looked to her. She picked up an ornate spoon and comically fawned over it, while holding a knife in her other and giving it a disgusted look; Obi-wan chuckled at her theatrics.

She held the spoon up, "Beautiful," and gestured to the scenery. "Coruscant is beautiful."

Obi-wan nodded and took the spoon from her, reiterating in his own language, "Yes, Coruscant is beautiful."

He followed her gaze as she took in the two suns that were setting behind the sprawling metropolis. Speeders, spacecraft, and landing platforms dotted the purpling sky, and the hum of the city sparkled with light in the approaching darkness. For the first time, Thera allowed herself to accept her safety with Obi-wan. She looked back at him with a wondrous smile, the fascination in her eyes strong. It was contagious, and Obi-wan returned the expression.

"Good?" he gestured to the remnants of the food, his fingers curled around his glass of water.

Thera burped under her breath and murmured an apology as she pushed the plate away from her. She smiled, her eyes brightening with the energy that the food had given. She concentrated for a moment; "Yes... good."

He nodded, surprised and yet delighted at how fast she was catching on. Her Force signature was not lost on Obi-wan. It will be hard to pass her off as a visiting dignitary, he thought, with all of her Force potential. It will be equally hard to hide her, should someone come looking. He took little comfort of the security he had placed on her suite after the council meeting, and knew his unease would only settle once Thera was trained to protect herself. If she was ever trained, he reasoned.

"Would you like to see the Archives?" he asked, trying to distract his own mind from the worry creeping in. Thera heard a question in his voice and studied his face carefully, as though searching for meaning. It was unnerving the way her hazel eyes could search his own, and Obi-wan stood to free himself from her gaze, only to find himself holding out his hand to help her from the floor. "Come with me. I think you'll like this."

Going through the temple corridors, he nodded to the other Jedi that traversed the hallways, but he could feel the nervousness in Thera beside him. He supposed that his appearance didn't t alarm her, but to the other alien species that made up the league of the Jedi, they must have been quite a sight.

It hadn't taken him long to convince Thera to view the outside of her suite, but he could see the apprehension in her walk. She kept pace alongside him, on the tips of her bare feet like a Verusidai dancer, her arms constantly brushing his own as she dared not stray far from him. It wasn't long before Obi-wan offered his hand.

Thera was attracting stares from the other Jedi as well. Of how much was because of her haphazard attire, he couldn't be sure. As the doors slid open and their forms were bathed in the soft light that filtered down through the high windows of the Jedi archives, Obi-wan knew he was right; she did like the archives. A smile spread across her face, her expression attentive to his lead.

"The Archives," Obi-wan told her, with a sweeping gesture to encompass the databanks, the shelves, the endless stacks of digital information, maps, novels, and texts. He let Thera browse by herself for a while, walking slowly between the shelves, admiring the busts and the data scanners. She breathed in deeply, a habit she held from some unknown time in her past. She selected a text at random and pulled it from the shelf, flipping idly through the pages with a pensive look on her face.

Obi-wan came up beside her. "Text," he said.

"Text," mimicked Thera as she analyzed the page and the style of the new language. She began to speak under her breath, in her native tongue, "I wish I could read, here."

She gazed back at Obi-wan and continued, "I wish I could talk to you. I have so many questions." She closed the book, and put it back in its place. The library shelf clicked and hummed, recognizing the electronic signature of the book as it was re-catalogued.

Obi-wan could hear a longing in her voice, paired with frustration. "You'll learn our language soon enough," he replied as he led her deeper into the archives, gesturing to objects along the way.

The days of learning began to run together for Thera. On the third day Obi-wan brought her clothing; dark blue and pale green dresses that wrapped simply around the waist and flowed elegantly, barely scraping the floors. There was a pair of simple grey slippers that tied around her ankles, and a grey cloak that clasped at her shoulders. She was amused, but couldn't quite explain to Obi-wan how it was strange to her to wear a cape.

She should have known that a new wardrobe meant he was taking her somewhere, but she had never expected it was going to be within the temple. With communication as limited as it was, she only understood that they were going to meet a friend of Obi-wan's.

Maybe she misunderstood because later, when was standing in front of the council, she felt nervous and unprepared. Obi-wan stood next to her and spoke to the council of regal-looking aliens. She was introduced to each in turn, but her gaze never strayed long from the master known only as Yoda. As for what he was a master of Thera could only guess, but the sensation that she perceived from the alien dwarf was… for lack of a better word, fascinating. He didn't mind being stared at as well; he calmly returned Thera's gaze as he studied her.

She had made the educated assumption that the inhabitants of the temple were special, possibly even trained. They had the persona that was similar to Obi-wan; calm and collected, pleasant and perceptive. Her mind wandered from the discussion with the panel, but was suddenly pulled back when he made to leave. As she moved to follow, Obi-wan held up a hand.

"Thera Munro, you must stay here. The masters have questions for you. I'll be over there," he said quietly as he gestured to a vacant seat next to the entrance.

She concentrated on his speech and gestures; _here, there_. It seemed that she was on her own at this point.

Turning back to the council as Obi-wan stepped off the platform as she composed herself then looked back at the panel of masters. How on earth was she to communicate with them?

Apparently speech wasn't needed; under the focus of the council, images came to her mind fast as though flipping through a deck of cards. Yoda and the other masters watched her life, as though in fast-forward. Her mind could not keep up with the flickering of the images. Thera felt they were out of order, and quickly disintegrating beyond her control. She fought against the urge to cover her head with her hands.

It was a few moments before the cloud of power lifted, and the presence of the council was in the room again. Her thoughts spun for a moment before her vision cleared, her eyes watering at the vague memories. As much as she wanted her memories back, she felt trepidation at the experience of remembering them all at once.

She fought the urge to turn back to Obi-wan and settled her gaze on master Yoda. Although Thera did not understand the exact words, the meaning came to her clearly.

"Your future, we shall watch you face."


	3. Sketched

It became a common sight in the temple the following days: the Jedi and the foreign girl, walking the halls, talking softly to each other, taking meals together.

Obi-wan was surprised by how quickly she grasped language. By the end of her second week at the temple she was forming simple sentences, and responding politely to Jedi who greeted her. She would quietly request her favorite foods at meals, and was beginning to read. It wasn't long before she began prompting lessons from the Jedi.

Armed with vocabulary, Thera would increasingly spend her days in the archives, often for hours at a time. When Obi-wan started her with the earliest primers meant for Jedi younglings, she devoured those and asked for more. It was then he hesitated. Most of the books in the archives dealt with the Force philosophy, applications, and histories. As the Jedi council had not discerned her as anything more than a guest, much of that knowledge was forbidden. Obi-wan did his best to find her simple histories or dissertations on the cultures of neighboring planets. He viewed holograms with her, explaining common life forms of the region.

It was soon that she requested a booklet to write in and keep track of her studies. Curious to see her one afternoon writing so feverishly, he requested to view her old language and it wasn't long before she sheepishly agreed to let him look over her notes. Pages were filled in a pleasant, flowing script that he took to be her journal. There were sections devoted to translations, and when Thera had a particularly hard time understanding an object or meaning, she would draw out an accompanying description. The translations would fade into a few blank pages, and then start up again into sketches. These were more detailed and expressive than the rest, and Obi-wan was always fascinated while looking through them. There were sketches of the skyline view of Coruscant from her quarters, of Master Yoda as he deftly held his walking stick in front of him, an ear cocked to the side as if listening to a whining Padawan. There were others- of Jedi she had encountered in the temple, and various models of star craft that would visit the landing platforms.

The last was himself; a startling sketch in its simplicity, as it portrayed him sitting on one of the low benches of the archives. His elbows rested on his legs, hands clasped in front of him as he watched a hologram of a pod race. His expression was pensive and far away, yet focused on the race, his robes trailing out behind him until settling on the floor. His lightsaber peeked out from the folds of fabric. At the bottom, she had written his name in her native tongue, and again in his language.

From the day he saw the sketch, Obi-wan began to wonder about how Thera regarded him. She was modest and intuitive, in more ways than one. Yet more and more layers were unfolding. She never openly spoke with him about her fears of her captivity. Her journal was dotted by frenzied script. There were more than a few times when he observed her in the isles of the archives, her forehead in one of her hands as she clenched her other fist. It was not lost on him that she was trying to remember more than just a language. She was anguishing over a past that still did not seem clear to her as she remembered. He knew he could help resurface the memories, but that also would be left up to the council for when it would be suitable for her to deal with.

Still, it was hard for him to watch.

"Obi-wan Kenobi?"

Obi-wan looked up from his hologram. He vaguely realized that his present stance would be reminiscent of her drawing; he had not even remembered what exactly he was watching. He had met her in the archives yet again, after returning from another reconnaissance breifing.

"Yes?" He grinned, recognizing the pout on her face as the one that preceded a question of vocabulary.

She hummed in thought and opened to a page in her book, sitting down next to him. With the movement she stirred up the air and from the faint aroma of feffel blossoms, he could tell that she had spent some of her morning in the temple gardens.

"Please tell me... the meaning of the words here," she pointed, indicating a passage in her history text.

He glanced over the paragraph, which described how Force lightning had been used in the battle of Erichana. He sighed and took the book from her hands. "Thera Munro, there are many things here you are not ready to understand. This is one of them."

"Then I wait," Thera said slowly. "I have trust you tell me."

Obi-wan smiled. "I will."

* * *

_You will tell me. I shall find you. _

The voice that had entered her nightmares before was finally taking form in the new language. The sound was echoing so loud in her mind that it sent shivers of pain down her spine.

"No!" She sat bolt upright, clutching at her circular bed sheets. But this time the shout came to her in the new language and she had the sinking feeling that with the action, she had given away something. Sleep was useless now. Her fingers longed to write, but her script came out so clumsy in the new form.

Thera hastily threw a lavender dressing gown around her shoulders and tightened the sash at the waist, exiting her room barefoot and distracted. The gown was one of the latest gifts from Obi-wan. Soft and warm, it was a welcome change after the cold sweat of her nightmare. She traversed the hallways of the temple, silent in the dead of night save for the humming of the surveillance droids.

Obi-wan was in the library. The knowledge came to her easily although unclear exactly how. Hesitating in the corridor, Thera mulled over the feeling; deciding to join him.

Obi-wan looked up when the door slid open to reveal Thera. He could sense the uneasing stamp of a nightmare, and he knew that tonight's had driven her from bed. "No sleep?" he asked kindly.

Thera frowned as she approached him on one of the lounge benches. "No. I had… how do you say it? Bad pictures in sleep."

"Nightmare," Obi-wan said.

"Nightmare. I have a lot of nightmare lately." Thera sat down beside him, glancing idly at his hologram. It was showing the proper maintenance of a Nubian star craft. The library at night was nearly deserted, save for a few drones that floated between the isles, cleaning and adjusting the volumes. She and Obi-wan sat for a moment in the darkness, the hologram pulsing. Thera could see how he might find it soothing to watch during a restless night.

"Obi-wan Kenobi, may I ask you a question?" she asked quietly.

He turned to her slightly, "Yes."

"What is the thing always on your belt?"

Obi-wan pushed aside his robes, placing a hand on his lightsaber. "This?"

"Yes," she curled her toes and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"My lightsaber." He removed it from his belt and activated it; the sudden blue light threw Thera's face into sharp relief against the darkness of the room. In a surprising reaction, she didn't flinch.

"I remember this," she said. "With this, you fought… it."

He deactivated the weapon and handed it to Thera. No Jedi should ever give such a thing over to a novice, Obi-wan knew, but the Force was telling him this was right.

Thera cautiously curled her fingers around the weapon. "Very dangerous, yes?"

He gave a crooked smile at her intuition, "Very. All Jedi Knights carry one."

"This is a place for Jedi Knights, then, yes?" she asked while closely examining the grooved metal.

"Yes." As Obi-wan watched her curious eyes take in the instrument, he was already picturing how her own would look. Slender, longer to form to her feminine grasp. He wondered what color it would bear for her, what offensive skill she would excel at most. _Shoresu,_ his mind whispered.

She handed the lightsaber back. "I am thinking that this is not a place for girl like me." Her voice dropped to a murmur, "Girl who is not Jedi Knight."

_I would change that_, he thought suddenly. A striking image of Thera came to his mind as she held his stare, a questioning look in her eyes.

Thera seemed to compose herself and noticed a prickling sense coming from Obi-wan. More and more she became aware of the senses that swept over her, and that the sensations around Obi-wan were stronger than most. There were times when she had lost all composure because of the feelings that bombarded her, and it was with the feeling of inadequacy of not being able to block them.

"I do not want to seem…how you say it? Not being thank-you."

Obi-wan nodded at the phrase, "Ungrateful. You don't want to seem ungrateful."

"That is the word," she smiled sadly. "I need a place. A skill. I learn language now, it is good to learn this. But more things. I am sorry. I do not have the words."

"You're being called, Thera Munro. You have a higher destiny."

Thera wrinkled her nose. "Please, Obi-wan. From home, we use only one name. Just my first name."

"Thera, then." Obi-wan let the conversation wane, saving discussions of her destiny for another time.

Thera yawned, trying to stifle the gesture. Obi-wan chuckled, "Go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Obi-wan."

He watched after her until she cleared the library doors, and Obi-wan passed a hand over his face. He'd handed her his lightsaber; she could have cut him in half, unknowingly. But he had seen, in her eyes- what was it? A vision of the Jedi she could be. He would have to ask the council for permission soon. He fervently hoped they would agree granting Thera the status of Padawan. Something about her future required defense. If the Jedi could not grant that, he would train her in secret…and he did not like that idea at all.

* * *

Thera was cheerful at daybreak, dressed in one of the green robes that made her hazel eyes glow golden. She had her hair looped and pinned to the crown of her head; looking for all the worlds like the delegate he claimed her to be.

"Would you like to go on a trip today?" Obi-wan asked, taking a bite of his meal. He had decided that she had to venture away from the temple at some point, and his attendance was requested in the senate on behalf of the Jedi.

"A trip? To where?"

"The Galactic Republic. Our center for politics."

Her eyes glowed as she restrained an excited tone, "Many people from different worlds there, yes?"

"Yes," he said, grinning at her emotional battle.

Thera composed her face and said carefully, in the sobering fashion that reminded him too well of the local senators, "I would be pleased to go."

* * *

'Many different worlds' did not do the senate justice, she mused. The floating platforms seemed to go on forever, the echoing voices cascading down the tiered walls and into her ears. Obi-wan escorted her into a Jedi platform, sitting beside her and nodding politely to the delegates seated around them. She shadowed his formalities and returned the polite greetings with confidence.

"Greetings, Master Kenobi. My gratitude to Master Windu's prompt report on our outer sectors."

Obi-wan turned and gave a slight bow to the passing delegation. "Pleased to see you again, Delegate Adavar. The Jedi welcome any request from your cabinet."

The Oberon system representative, Delegate Adavar took a seat next to Obi-wan's platform, his gaze traveling over towards Thera with interest. "I do not believe I have been introduced to your companion," the Oberonian said with a warm smile.

"Then let me introduce Thera Munro." Upon hearing her name, Thera turned. She smiled and inclined her head to the Oberonian.

"Acova Adavar, m'lady. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"And I yours, Delegate Adavar," Thera responded politely.

"Where do you hail from, Miss Munro?"

"Outside the Republic, sir," she recited flawlessly.

"Indeed? That is unusual. Does your system have a name?"

"The name of our system does not have a name in Basic, sir."

"How quaint," the senator smiled. "Have you seen much of Coruscant?"

"No, sir. I have made an arrival most recently."

Obi-wan openly studied the delight on the delegates' face as he leaned towards their podium, "As it happens we are holding a consulate reception tonight. Would you care to join myself and meet other delegates of the region?"

Thera glanced towards Obi-wan, confusion in her eyes. He cleared his throat as he met her gaze, unsure of how to ward Thera away and how to recognize the apprehensive feeling in his gut. "I have heard much of the consulate dinners, it sounds like it would be an interesting invitation."

The confusion in Thera's eyes disappeared and a smile crept onto her lips. "Many thanks, Senator Adavar," she said. "I will be very please to attend."

Adavar paused, then nodded in understanding. "I will see you then at the Oberonian consulate's house, tonight at 19." Acova nodded his thanks and turned his attention abruptly to the senate floor as the members were called to order.

Following the lead of Obi-wan and others in the senate hall, Thera settled back in her chair, arranging her skirt around her ankles and listened intently. Much of the language was still too technical for her to understand, and the transcriber screen in front of their seats only added to the confusion. She was able to keep up with the debates only by Obi-wan's contentment to whisper an answer to her questions.

Voices echoed and waned in the great hall. Her eyes shifted from one delegation to another, amazed at the display of alien cultures. Subtly, Obi-wan watched her. He could think of no one more respectable to take Thera to a consulate's congregation than Senator Adavar, and yet he could not shake the feelings of misgiving that crept slowly into his mind.

The meeting sojourned after a few hours and Thera took care to stay close to Obi-wan in the tide of senators that exited the building. They walked to the Jedi's speeder; Thera falling into the routine of asking broken questions about the senate and the oddities that surrounded the building. As he piloted the speeder out of the landing bay, she peered down at the canyons created by the buildings below, enjoying the rush of air and the vibrancy of the city. When they arrived at the temple, she declared her intention to spend her afternoon in the archives. Obi-wan acquiesced, reminding her of the dinner that evening.

"I will remember," Thera nodded with a smile. "I meet you at the speeder?"

"1830. Don't be late, it's a cultural insult."

"Master Kenobi, do you tell me because I am always late?" She grinned and bowed slightly, then set off towards the library. Obi-wan blinked, surprised. Had Thera made a joke? She absorbed more than he thought.

And another matter; she had called him Master. Before she had referred to him by his full name, and without a title. And on rare occasions that were becoming more common, just Obi-wan… but now she called him Master Kenobi. Certainly this was a result of hearing the term used by others, he reasoned, but from the mouth of the girl he hoped to make his Padawan, the title seemed to weigh heavier in his mind.

The doors to the library slid open and Thera took a deep breath, enjoying the cool, musty smell that all libraries have, even the ones in foreign galaxies. Some of the Jedi looked up and exchanged greetings, smiling. She returned the gestures while feeling peaceful, very much at home for the first time. Making her way to the history section, she began to browse through the volumes pertaining to galaxies outside the Republic.

"Hello, Miss Munro."

Thera turned to find the head librarian, Jocasta Nu walking towards her. "Galaxy maps again?" she asked with a knowing smile.

Thera sighed, tipping her head to one side as she studied the datapad in front of her. "I want to find my home."

"Are you happy here, Thera?" Jocasta asked, sensing a hint of sadness in the girl's voice.

"Yes…no," she stammered. "I do not know where it is I come from."

"I did not ask you about where you were from, Thera Munro. I ask you about where you are." Jocasta's voice was soft, but serious. Thera looked up, surprised as the elderly woman continued. "We are not in control of our pasts. There are many across the galaxy who cannot return home, either. But will this knowledge continue to pain you, or can you find happiness here?"

Thera was taken aback. "A small happiness comes tonight, I think," she said. "A senator has asked me to…a delegate's dinner."

The librarian's eyes quickly swept over her form, "May I ask, Miss Munro, what you were planning on wearing?"

"This?" Thera said hesitantly, running a hand over her pale green delegate's robe.

"No, no," Jocasta tutted. "Follow me. I shall find something that will suit you better."

* * *

Obi-wan drummed his fingers along the side of the speeder, waiting. 18:25.

The doors to the speeder bay hissed open, and he sensed Thera approaching. As she took a step into the light, Obi-wan found himself staring.

Instead of the delegate's robe that she had worn that afternoon, Thera wore an elegant maroon dress. The skirt was long as it trailed on the floor in layers. Tapering into a form-fitting waist that gave way to a loose top of Jandaran silk, the sleeves wrapping becomingly over each shoulder. She still wore her hair up, but now maroon ribbons were interwoven in the strands. She walked forward slowly, her hands plucking nervously at the skirt as she navigated the silvery grey cape that was draped over her arm. Obi-wan could feel the image burning into his memory.

She stopped and frowned once noticing his expression. "Too much dress?"

"No… you look perfect for the dinner. Where did you get that?"

She breathed a small sigh of relief, and allowed a smirk to take over her features, "Master Yoda said dress no longer right size."

Obi-wan chuckled, "No, really."

"Mistress Nu was kind to let me take for tonight."

"You look lovely."

"Thank you, Master Kenobi," she replied with a genuine smile.

Obi-wan flinched internally at the formal title. _Not a master yet_, he thought to himself. "I have something for you. A gift," he said while handing her a small tan box. Thera opened it, the cape dangling loosely over her arm.

It was a necklace. The jewelry sparkled in the dim light of the landing bay; a thick chain with three opalescent gemstones that gathered at the base, their reflection like water and clouded ice. "Beautiful," Thera whispered, delicately lifting the chain from the box. It was long enough that it slipped easily over her head, the jewels resting just above the neckline of her dress. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied, thinking of the storage of senatorial gifts it had come from, much like the delegate dresses he had found. Upon reflection, it seemed vain to give a material item to link her to the Jedi, yet Obi-wan knew she had no goods to her name, and with them, no memories. The necklace was a small consolation, and a rememberance of him. He had hoped it would be valuable to her in the future connections.

"May I?" Obi-wan asked as he indicated her cape. Thera nodded, and with a flourish he expertly opened the material and draped it around her shoulders. He fixed the clasp gently around her throat, adjusting the fabric over her arms while avoiding her inquisitive gaze.

"Something wrong?" Thera questioned quietly.

"Yes," he said simply as he looked at her. It wouldn't benefit if he kept her in the dark about the sensation that he was feeling through the Force. He wondered if she had the same sensation. "Something tells me that tonight there may be danger for you. There will be many people there, and I'm afraid I know how poorly guarded the consulates' headquarters can be."

"Do I need to be frightened of a dinner?" she whispered.

Obi-wan gave her what he hoped was a reassuring grin. "No, most likely not. But it is better to be prepared. I will be waiting for you outside the building. I will know if you need me."

"How?"

"It is a skill that Jedi Knights possess."

A skeptical look clouded her features. "You are not to come?"

"Delegate Adavar invited you, not me."

Thera nodded but still looked tense, her interest now focused on the long folds of the dress.

"You can trust me," Obi-wan said.

"You need not tell me, I trust you before," she replied quietly as her eyes focused now on her hands.

Obi-wan regarded her for a moment, and began to see himself in the drawing he had studied so intently before. Except this time it was from her perspective. Noble, pensive, and… guarded? He sifted through the sensations that were coming from her. This girl, now a woman in his eyes, stood before him on the landing platform. He understood; yes she trusted him… but now as her first time venturing out into the world alone, and it was clear she would rather have him there with her. The anchoring feeling that he represented was being taken away, and he was slowly becoming more to her.

Obi-wan guided her into the speeder, "Come now, or you'll be late."

The Oberonian consulate was flooded with light from every angle, illuminating the many windows and carved permacrete. The main door was framed with service droids and the pathway rolling out into the landing bay. As Thera stepped out of the speeder and smoothed her dress, Obi-wan scanned the small crowd that lined the entrance. The feeling of misgiving grew inside of him, although he couldn't place it.

"Go in," Obi-wan said with a wave of his hand.

Thera opened her mouth as if to object, but then visibly straightened her back and walked up to the building. Obi-wan watched her go, seeing the covert looks from the other attendees at her unaccompanied form. He slipped quietly back into the shadows, carefully examining every vessel that approached.

As before, the consulate building was full of easy access points and exits. Obi-wan rolled his eyes at the guards that lazed next to the service entry, mere droids for the front entrance. Through the tall windows he could see Thera's blood-red dress wandering through the crowds, attracting too many stares for his liking. It was slightly disconcerting to see the senator's gaze as Adavar caught sight of Thera, and even more so when the senator introduced her to other prominent lobbyists of the region.

This was going to be a long evening.


	4. Rainfall

The Force rippled and pricked against his senses as he sat in the speeder, the first hour stretching by. Obi-wan was wary, but it wasn't until he felt the familiar roil of the Force in his chest as the real danger began. Thera had disappeared from sight; only seconds before she was placating a Cerulean with small talk. Now through the tall windows he could see the crowd thinning and the wane of noise.

The Force sent a jolt through him and he was already out of the speeder. He ran to the back entrance, startling the lounging guards as he tore past and burst through the rear kitchen. Her Force signature upstairs, glowing brightly in his mind.

* * *

Entering the main reception area, Thera felt completely overwhelmed. Many of the languages were different, and a great variety of the local delegates invited were aliens from other systems, without Obi-wan's comforting presence close by, she could hardly enjoy the regal environment or delegate Adavar that was now trying to catch her attention.

As she spent more time with him, she found that he was pleasant enough, but the sensation that she received from Acova was confusing; like a man that was constantly checking the escape routes of a room. It had always been a secret pride of hers; being able to read people and their intentions, but now her talent didn't seem applicable to Acova.

Pushing the thoughts aside, Thera focused on enjoying the introductions as she met other delegates. It was awhile on into the reception when she noticed the crowd making their way towards the main banquet hall, and that Adavar had departed from her company without her realizing it.

She felt it again; the pang of unease, her stomach tightening into a knot. Thera looked around for a restroom, not bold enough to ask the other guests. She turned and headed up the stairs, searching for a moment of privacy. Ducking into a guest suite, she sat down shakily on one of the foyer chairs as she listened to the guests congregating below. In her mind, Thera was having an internal battle.

_You should leave now._

_Obi-wan would know if any trouble would come around._

_You could leave before the dinner, no one would notice._

_No, there is a chance to meet others and enjoy my time here. I'm not going to let something as simple as the jitters keep me from enjoying an intergalactic congressional dinner._

She sighed. The whole situation was surreal, but she stood up resolutely and checked her reflection before heading back out to the stairwell landing. At the top of the stairs she saw that the lobby was now empty, and the dark night that pressed against the windows was a little too unsettling. Thera hurried down, afraid to make a late entrance to the dinner when two servants blocked her path.

"Excuse me," she murmured, meaning to wedge by.

One held up a hand, the simple gesture stopping her. "Security breach. Please head back upstairs where it's safe."

Thera was startled, but as she listened to the faint chatter in the banquet hall the distinct sensation from before hit her again, only stronger; "You're lying."

The servants, seemingly average in their alien appearance and dark in attire, kept walking, their movement pushing her back up the stairs. Their pale skin and bald heads a little more than disconcerting. They said nothing in return.

"Let me by," she commanded, clenching her fists. With sudden bravado, Thera tried to push between them. Looking back, she supposed it was a futile effort, but she had to try. She could have kneed one between the legs, or pushed the other down the stairs, but as their hands closed over her upper arms and wrists, her survival mechanism kicked in.

"Let _go!_ Someone-!" Squirming and kicking, managing to tear a hand away and elbow one of the servants in the face. She was distracted at the sound of a door opening below, her dress tangling around her legs as she turned. For a brief second she saw the brown shadow of his cloak; his gaze as their eyes connected, but she was hauled roughly up by the waist by the other servant, and he fell out of her line of sight.

"_Obi-wan!"_

Twisting in the hold, she was not able to get a foot on the ground. As they reached the main hallway again, her strength was suddenly sapped from her. Her memory flitted out- the last thing she recalled was the sound of a lightsaber activating.

* * *

Again her Force signature pounded against his chest, even as he dashed through the busy kitchens before he finally made it to the main reception. The room was empty, but he could sense alarmed faces peering from the corridor leading to the banquet hall, the droids finally activating a security program.

They were already above the first landing of the ornate staircase. Thera was struggling with two men, one of whom was already sporting a bloody nose. His entrance had distracted her, and her shout was terrified and pleading.

"_Obi-wan!"_

_(Please, don't let this happen.)_

It was only his name, but the meaning of her voice came through to him loud and clear. A vision of her red dress swirled and fought against the black suits of the servants. As he ran up the stairs the bloody-nose stayed behind, his accomplice already dragging Thera bodily into a corner chamber. Even if the man was a weak adversary, Obi-wan knew that their mission only required a seconds' distraction. With fluid ease, he tossed the servant over his shoulder and back down the stairwell.

As he ran through the halls of the second level, the tension of the Force curled inside him; an uncomfortable and powerful feeling that he had never received from it before. Only when he burst through the chamber door did he understand why.

The second servant was at the balcony window, struggling to open the double doors as Thera lolled in his arms. She was blinking sluggishly in the lamplight, but the thing that automatically activated his lightsaber in his hand was the speeder that was parked next to the balcony railing.

Asajj Ventress wasn't one to give up on a mission so easily; she would battle a Jedi if it came to it. Granted- that the odds were in her favor. In this instance they weren't. Downstairs she could already sense the awareness of the delegates' security that would be there shortly, and her only exit was the speeder on the small balcony.

Her lip curled in distaste at the young Jedi already advancing on her hired man, knowing all too well that her effort was in vain. She activated the speeder as Obi-wan deftly disabled the guard and caught Thera in one fluid movement. As Thera unconsciously curled into his shoulder, Obi-wan watched as Asajj steered her craft away, the anger showing through her features even in the darkness.

_I'll be back_, she mouthed to him with a solemn nod. The speeder disappeared into the night, and he knew it was a promise the Sith apprentice had intended to keep. It confirmed his suspicions; Thera's strong Force signature wasn't just a fluke and now she was a commodity. Little did Ventress know, Obi-wan vowed that next time Thera would not go so easily.

"Thera Munro, are you hurt?"

As before, her head lolled as she tried to lift her gaze up to him. "Kenobi," she mumbled into his tunic, her grasp becoming weaker with each minute. As her head rolled, Obi-wan could make out a stippled circle that was forming on her neck. An epi-pen injection would account for such a fast effect, he thought grimly.

It wasn't long before he pushed through the crowds that were now formed downstairs and loaded Thera onto his own speeder. The wind rushed by as he set off through the Coruscant skyline, other cruisers honking indignantly. Keeping an eye on Thera whenever he could spare it, through the Force he could sense her consciousness dwindling. He requested the temple's medical assistance upon landing, not knowing the actual use of the drug.

On the landing platform, Obi-wan ignored Thera's weak protests and carried her to the waiting medical transport. They worked quickly, even before he fully laid her on an awaiting gurney. The medidroids took over, strapping pulse readers and toxin sensors readers to her skin. A healer approached at a run and Obi-wan explained what had happened as the healer examined and scraped a small surface culture from the injection area.

Her vision had already began to go in and out. She felt heavy, as though she was sinking into the ground. Eyesight blurring, she could still hear Obi-wan, the voice of the healer, and the faint whirring and buzzing of the droids around her. The dark curtain of the drugs in her system was slowly became overpowering.

In an exam room, the healer Ghreshard read the surface culture into a spectrometer. "It's Devoven," he replied while reading the results. "A sedative but the administered levels are appropriate."

"Will she need antibodies?" Obi-wan asked.

"No," Ghreshard murmured while pulling back a lid to peer into Thera's half-closed, dilated eyes. "She'll be able to sleep it off without a problem."

"Asajj," Thera mumbled. "Kenobi. Asajj."

Obi-wan brushed a strand of hair from her face. "It's alright, Thera. You're safe now. You can sleep."

"No, she…"

His voice was quiet and insistent, "You're safe. Sleep."

As before, he used a trickle of Force to send her to rest, watching as her breathing slowed, evened. As the drug smoothed the lines in her face, Obi-wan saw her as she must have looked before she had ever met a Sith.

"She'll be safe here, Master Kenobi," Ghreshard said kindly, seeing the slight distress of the situation.

Obi-wan pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. He could still sense a trickle of worry, a tensing inside her Force, but he let the healer convince him to leave. Things were progressively becoming worse, especially with the surprise of Thera knowing Asajj's name. He needed to speak with Master Yoda.

Yoda had listened passively, both hands clutching the top of his staff. "A kidnap, Ventress was planning?" he asked, when the young Jedi finished his report of the attack at the consulate.

"Yes," Obi-wan frowned at the reasons.

"And yet, take her, she did not." Yoda frowned. "No good can this be. A Sith, on Coruscant, but to what reason? Other plan, the Sith have. One already in motion." The elder thought to himself for a moment as Obi-wan patiently waited. "Continue with observation, Obi-wan. Sleep with these thoughts, I will."

"As will I, Master Yoda."

* * *

Perhaps Asajj thought sooner was better than later, thought Obi-wan as he awoke and heard the telltale hiss before the security alarm klaxon. The entry droids made a clean cut through the plexifilm of his suite, allowing him only a fraction of a second to call his lightsaber to his hands.

As always the case, there were three droids but Obi-wan didn't allow himself the time to think of why he could not detect them earlier in the Force. With surprising difficulty, he cut down one of the destroyers before he was fully able to get out of bed. A startling spurt of blood came from the machine, and Obi-wan almost thought himself wounded. No droid ran on bio-fluids, especially droidekas. He advanced on the other two already gearing to find another sort of entrance into the main levels.

Blaster marks scored his living quarters and Obi-wan barely had the upper hand against the intruders, which were nothing more than augmented droidekas. He focused on the machines as he deflected the blasts; the droids edging back towards the gaping hole of his quarters. Again, as the second droid fell underneath his blade, the metallic smell of seared metal and blood reached him. So appalled by the stench that he barely had a moment to react to the grapple that had now hooked itself around his right leg.

"Oh- _not good_."

As the droid dipped outside, Obi-wan grunted, losing his center of gravity as he fell on his back. The impact caused him to hit the butt of his lightsaber against the tile, the connection popping the device out of his hands and rolling away. The weight of the droid pulled him, and with each passing inch he sensed the inevitable drop that was soon to come. Throwing his arms wide, the droid climbing down the side of the temple dragged him backwards and his hands hooked on the edge of the cut panels. Shredded plastisteel and metal dug at his skin. Gritting his teeth with the effort, he heard an oncoming noise; a rippling pulse of an engine over the rainfall.

* * *

Thera had never allowed her body to operate on auto-pilot before, but as she raced down the temple corridors, she knew she had never experienced such clarity in her actions for such a vague destination. She had torn off the sensors that were still clinging to her skin from the mediward bed, and could hear the faint sound of an alarm off on one of the other levels.

The landing platform was deserted at this time of night and a cold rain pelted against the slick decking, the three moons illuminating the row of cruisers. Thera sprinted across to the first one, a brown speeder that looked more like a winged cricket than anything else in her mind. She jumped on and activated the flight system, not stopping to think how she knew the controls. The speeder rocketed off and there was a dip of gravity as the craft adjusted to the weight. With a twist of the throttle she spiraled in a headlong dive down the side of the building.

The huge spire of the temple was well lit in the light of the moons, and it was clear to Thera as she saw the large droid scuttling away from a hole carved into the building. Even at the distance, she could see Obi-wan's grasp slip in the rainwater and the droid pulled him over the edge, disconnecting the tethered cable on his leg in one fluid movement.

Thera's jaw clenched as she pushed the throttle to the limit, the momentum throwing her stomach into her throat. She focused on his falling form through the rain and wind, his expressioning reflect annoyance at the disadvantage he was in, and surprise bordering on concentration as he saw the speeder. Gravity curled his body back towards her as she drew parallel. Things like how close the ground was, or how rivulets of rain ran backwards on her face and into her hair had no effect. The only connection that made sense was when they simultaneously reached for each other, grasped hands and in one supreme effort Thera banked the speeder under Obi-wan and pulled away from the temple.

The craft shuddered as they pulled out of the dive and coasted along the top of the lower traffic isles that winked dimly in the storm. Thera shivered as the night rain clung to her; she was able to properly focus now that she had completed her objective and the Force let go of its hold. It was then that she suddenly became uncertain of how to handle the speeder, and Obi-wan sensed her tension as they hovered. Curling an arm around her waist from his position behind her, he spoke calmly in her ear, his left hand indicating an entrance platform near the ground.

"Land over there, it should be secure."

Just as she became comfortable with handling the speeder, they had landed; Obi-wan jumping off quickly as he turned to Thera. He had not seen her face since he had been pulled aboard, but the expression now was bordering on frightened. The medical robe clung to her frame; such a small figure upon the large speeder, skin white in the moonlight as she clutched the gears. Her eyes were still dark, dilated.

He gestured to help her from the speeder, "Thera?"

She suddenly leaned away, turning her head so that she vomited over the opposite side of the speeder. He watched, stunned as she started shivering violently, her head now resting on her raised arm. Obi-wan stepped onto the side of the speeder again and pulled her off, against his chest as he made his way through the rain towards the platform entrance.

"Come in, Obi-wan," chirped his comlink.

He waited until he had guided Thera into one of the lifts and it rose, heading back towards her chambers. He brought he comlink to his lips, shaking rainwater out of his eyes, "Master Windu, a security breach has been made, level 74."

There was a pause, the master's voice sounding slightly surprised, "Noted, Obi-wan. Is Thera Munro with you? She's been reported missing from the mediward."

"I have her now, give me a few minutes and I'll be able to make a report. To the council," he added as an afterthought.

Mace heard the implication in the statement. "10 minutes, Kenobi."

She was still shaking when they entered her guest quarters, and he led her towards the washroom. Turning the spray on as hot as it would go, he guided her under the stream, still clothed in the simple medical robe. Rinsing the cold rainwater away, Obi-wan tried to relax the sickening tension that was apparent in her frame; rubbing the back of her neck and shoulders.

"Wh- what did I do?" The shock that was settling over her body, her lips a grey-blue as they turned her words into mush. Her expression was confused and anxious. "I-I have never done anything like th-that, it w-was like I was some-someone else."

A guilty feeling swept through Obi-wan, knowing he had just witnessed Thera's Force potential. Of course it would have shocked her, and the counsel had unwittingly let her experience the repercussions without explanation. But how had they even come to be in this situation? To a Jedi Knight, droids were not much of an adversary, yet they had gotten the better of him, somehow blurring his connection to the Force. And the blood…the odd addition that seemed to be the only difference. He had seen the energy cells before, and thought back to the time and state of her first rescue. The equation began to make sense in his mind; it was why he couldn't sense the droids; Thera's midi-chlorians had masked their mission's intent. Someone had stocked energy cells of her blood, and the thought chilled him.

Obi-wan stopped the shower and handed her a towel, holding up her dressing gown as a dividing curtain as she sluggishly took off her medical robe and then into the dry garment, pulling the fabric around her shoulders and struggled to tie it at the waist.

Thera turned to face him, gripping his damp tunic to steady herself as her teeth chattered, her hands shaking. She tried to focus, her eyes blinking slowly as he towel-dried her long hair. "P-please, I must speak to Master Yoda. _Please._"

Obi-wan tucked a damp strand behind her ear. He would much rather have waited for her to overcome the shock she was experiencing from the invasion, but he too believed in settling this with the council. It had gone on for far too long; "It's been arranged, we'll leave now, if you're ready."

* * *

"Of this security breach, what have you to say?" Yoda asked.

"I was asleep," Thera stated slowly, her voice wavering from the cold. "But I found myself running. Up to the landing platform where the speeders are. I took one, over side of temple and down-"

"Why did you do this?" Mace Windu asked, sharply.

Thera curled and uncurled her fists, her long hair dripping onto the platform she stood on. "I don't know. I felt… driven."

Mace regarded her intensely, gesturing for her to continue.

"I saw Obi-wan- near edge. There were droids, he was falling."

The Jedi exchanged sidelong glances.

"I went, down. It was so fast, and my mind would not let me stop. I had no fear, no...care. I reached Obi-wan, pulled him onto the speeder. We landed, my senses came back to me."

Obi-wan and the council noted that she stopped shaking as her eyes focused on Master Yoda. "I came to say it was my fault. This is not something that I do." Almost imperceptibly, her voice turned serious and softly accusing. "You knew. You waited for me to understand. I should have been told."

Yoda grunted knowingly, "Intuitive, you are."

She swallowed, her voice quiet; "I could have been dangerous."

"Munro," Depa Billaba leaned forward into the light. "Members of the Jedi order often have callings, sensations through the Force that we cannot ignore, which we must follow."

The statement only seemed to confuse, "The Force? I am not Jedi."

"No, you are not," Mace said, his voice now bordering on amusement. "And yet you managed to activate and drive a speeder without training, save Obi-wan from imminent death in trying conditions, all without regard for yourself. We would be doing you an injustice if we did not tell you that you have the potential to become a Jedi."

"Performed strongly, you have." Yoda said. "Happened before, this has?"

No memory came to mind, her mind a blank slate before her arrival to the temple. "I do not know."

"To come to us and tell us of your involvement and opinion tonight shows great courage," Mace Windu said.

"To become a Jedi Knight is not easy," Depa added. "There are terrible pains, hardships, and you must master your body and your mind."

"Face pain, a Jedi does," Yoda said. "Face joy, a Jedi also does."

"Can you see yourself becoming a Jedi, Thera Munro?" Windu asked.

She was aware of Obi-wan, standing to the side. His frame unusually tense, and she could feel the collective gaze from the members of the council.

She recalled in a moment of pure weakness, that without knowledge of who she was or regard for his own safety, he had saved her. It was apparent that any member of the council would have done the same. To have that strength, to have that understanding, she realized to her in this new world, nothing else meant more.

Her own voice was surprisingly calm; "If I can become like the hands that saved me, I will give everything to be a Jedi."

"Spoken well, you have." Yoda allowed a ghost of a grin to settle on his lips. "Jedi Kenobi's Padawan, you are."

From the moment it was approved, Obi-wan's thoughts kicked in motion. He was polishing up on defense routines that had become second nature, but he immediately began to see his own faults. It had been awhile since he had practiced with someone who had pushed him, and now he was passing it on to a padawan. Obi-wan had the fleeting feeling of inadequacy.

He imagined the right course of missions for Thera to accompany him on, the environments she needed to spar in, and every corner of the Force that could be tapped, would. But all of these thoughts suddenly dead-ended as he watched Thera respond to Yoda's words.

She went from the first stages of shock and indignation to pure, glowing hope. The relief in her eyes and the smile on her lips as she turned to Obi-wan in front of the council- it wiped his mind blank. This new Thera was suddenly the woman that he realized was there all along.


	5. The Promise

"Remember who they are, one must, to become a whole Jedi. Distracted, I think she will be. Up to you Obi-wan, to choose when to help with her memories. This I think."

"I have considered the same, Master Yoda," said Obi-wan as he joined his elder on a walk through the Jedi temple gardens. "But I have doubts, as to how she may react. Her behavior is becoming more unpredictable- it's different than when she was first here."

"Maturing, she is. Lucky are you, Obi-wan, to have a Padawan who is determined."

_Determined is right_, he thought as they walked along in silence. He supposed the news would soon spread through the temple; Thera was becoming exemplary within the primary Jedi courses. Although she had said with a grin, that she would not mind studying along with the younglings, Obi-wan noted that her powers within the Force were…subtle, and unnerving.

Within the first few days, he started her focus with the Jedi history and the primary code that she would carry with her through the rest of her days. She had been appalled at some points- the sensation wasn't lost on him. But she listened with fascination, and dove into the meditation exercises that Qui-gon had started him with. He was dumbfounded when she performed the exercise for him the next day, with near perfection.

"Another worry, I sense," snorted Yoda as he stopped, looking up at him.

Obi-wan ran a hand over his features as he tried to choose the right words. "There are points in my teachings where I feel Thera may soon surpass, or that she may require a more talented mentor."

Yoda harrumphed and rapped his walking stick against trail, "No flaws in your skills, there are. That is not the worry I asked."

There was a long pause. "A bond is growing, Master Yoda," replied Obi-wan quietly. "And that I may be ill equipped to deal with."

They had made a second lap around the garden that made up the grounds for the room of a thousand fountains. Obi-wan thought he had overstepped his bounds until the Jedi Master paused and looked up at him. Yoda cocked an ear, much like the sketch of Thera's, and he leaned forward with an amused glint in his eye; "Broken a bond can be, but within the Force, hold great power it does."

The discussion had been bothering Obi-wan for most of the day, and he once again deliberated it while during meditation with Thera. It was during the exercise that Obi-wan noted a haunting melody coming from her as she sat next to him. She had perfect poise as he had taught her, but the tune was somehow melancholy. He leaned over her and grasped her arm gently for attention.

As if pulling from the dredges of deep sleep, she answered; "Yes… Master Kenobi?"

"The Wai-Jo exercise is best done in silence."

Thera slowly opened her eyes, but instead of a sheepish smile, she gazed unseeingly at the horizon. "I am sorry Master…" she only continued until Obi-wan caught her eye with a concerned look. "It has been in my mind, and again I do not know where it is from. I have a feeling it is from… my old thoughts?"

"Your memories. And you thought you would meditate on them," Obi-wan finished, understanding.

"Yes. I am sorry, I do not mean to waste time but it feels… they must come back now. I want to know," she finished quietly.

Obi-wan considered her for a moment. Thera was still fragile and relatively alone to his world. That was not to say she did not have acquaintances within the Jedi temple, or that she would not adapt, but to Obi-wan, he wanted to let her memories come back on their own. The pain of her memories could have a crucial effect on her padawan training; an effect that Obi-wan vowed would make her stronger.

"That's enough for today. Come, I have something for you," Obi-wan said as he helped Thera to her feet. Outside the twin suns were setting again, casting her quarters into a stark contrast of blues and oranges. He led her over to one of the low benches that ran along the main windows. A tilted table was now set up, with an intricate screen waiting.

"It's for you to record your songs. You can choose which instrument and add accompanying tones," he explained by touching his hand to the screen, and guided Thera to sit in front of the panel.

She let out a gasp as she touched the screen, and it sounded a high melodic note. She grinned and started to fiddle with the controls as Obi-wan watched. In less than a few minutes, she was producing the first few notes of the song that she had been humming in the halls of the temple for the past few days.

She suddenly stopped, her hands settling back into her lap. Outside the suns had set, and a rosy pink glow now coated the suite. "Have I been singing that much?" she asked quietly.

"I must say, Jedi do not sing," he replied.

Thera bit her lip to keep from revealing a smile, "Thank you, Obi-wan."

"You're welcome."

* * *

Weeks passed through Thera's training. Although she slept, the days felt like one continuous run. She became exhausted through each day, and it was a month before she was able to sit down at the music table. The music in her head did not disappear though, and soon she found herself singing more unfamiliar songs in the washroom. They were beginning to stack up and she felt that if she did not do something soon, that they could be forever lost.

The thought panicked her.

It was only a matter of time that Obi-wan had been called to assist Master Windu in a negotiation mission. She had expected to go with him, but Obi-wan insisted that it was too soon; "You'd be surprised how quickly negotiations can become aggressive."

So Thera had accompanied other Padawan's to the lectures of guest Jedi's, and partook in her exercise routine as Obi-wan had instructed. Still, the lull in work had become a sort of festering state for her, and it was when she finally sat town to the music table early one evening that she was able to concentrate fully for the first time in weeks.

She looked through her past notes and scribbled down misplaced verses. It was well into the night when she realized what time it was, and that whatever creative energy would have to wait. Through the days that Obi-wan took up his mission with the Kandahari system negotiations, Thera arose before dawn and composed her memories within the music well into the night. It was on the fourth day that her weariness started to catch up with her.

She had lost track of days and time, and without the guidance of Obi-wan against her new therapy, she never stopped. It was on the twentieth day that Kenobi returned, only to find Thera at the music table, asleep while sitting up.

At first he didn't know what to make of it; no one had notified him of her low attendance around the temple. She was under a different sort of tutelage; that was well known. Or maybe the council had been aware of Thera's absence and could think of no reason to reprimand her for trying to deal with her own demons.

As he approached her, it was obvious to him that she had not left much time for herself. Her hair was unkempt and she wore only the pale lavender robe over a simple cream slip against the morning suns. Her shoulders were curled over and her arms rested against the table.

He sighed as he looked over the music table that held an old core of a pijan fruit, and at her notes that were covering the surrounding benches.

"Oh Thera, what have you done to yourself?" he asked as he pushed aside the curtain of her hair. With a jerk, she woke. Her eyes were pink and startled as she looked at him for a moment, and then made an awkward attempt to stand from the bench.

"Oh, it is you," she whispered. Hiding his exasperation, Obi-wan watched as she slid back into sleep. She mumbled incoherently as her head sank again and her fingers fell away from the table and limply into her lap. _This lecture would have to wait_, he thought as he gently lifted her away from the table and back towards the bed.

Pulling the sheets over her, Obi-wan turned back to the music table. He considered removing it after finding Thera in such a state, but then he noticed the amount of data that was stored on the mainframe. Ejecting a pair of earpods, he began to go through the playlist. Listening to excerpts, he was amazed at the complexity of the music. Still, something seemed to be missing…

Obi-wan's gaze traveled over the papers covering the area. There were words scribbled upon them - many that seemed to be verses, but they were in her old language. A few she had attempted to write in the new tongue, but it seemed that she wasn't getting her thoughts down fast enough. It was near the bottom of the playlist when a title caught his eye.

'The Jedi', it read in his native text. He was sorely tempted to play the music; the title was glowing on the screen with a faint pulse. Something about it told him that it would explain the hidden elements of Thera's current state, but looking back towards her small frame on the bed, he figured it would be best if she explained herself.

It was later that afternoon when Obi-wan returned to Thera's quarters. He had just given a report to the council on the negotiations and was feeling rather weary from the mission, including the state that he had found his padawan in. She had proven to be so strong before, it never occurred to him that she could not be away from his guidance for a long period of time. But then it made sense; she was tapping into the Force more and more. And what would she do if it asked something of her? What could she do- when she was merely only a few weeks into training?

Thera greeted him at the door, an embarrassed expression on her face as she allowed him in.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked simply as he watched her sit on a bench next to the window.

"Yes, I am feeling better. Thank you," she said quietly. Her body language was resigned; he knew she was waiting for the reprimand.

"How many times and ways you manage to make me worry is amazing, Padawan," Obi-Wan said as he walked over to her. He stood over Thera, arms crossed as he tried to catch her eye but her gaze was melancholy and aimed at the skyline.

"You do not yet know your limits, which concerns me," he continued. "A Jedi should always know this of themselves, in whatever respect. A limit to your endurance, a limit to your patience- to your weakness. Have you not thought about these things, or is it that you have no regard?"

"How can I have any regard of what I do not know?" Thera asked simply, quietly.

Obi-wan ran a hand through his sandy, unkempt hair. "That is not what I meant, and you know it. Our past should have no affect on the choices we make in the present."

Thera bit her lip, trying to form her thoughts as best she could. A desperation began to leak into her voice. "Master Kenobi, please believe when I say that I could not stop it. I am scared to think that I may have too much in me- to understand how to control."

Obi-wan began to notice her tremble, and knew that fear was slowly seeping into the conversation. "Thera," he replied gently. "Describe to me what it feels like, as best you can."

Thera suddenly dropped her face into her hands, "I could not stop, I could not think," her voice began to rise with frustration. "Something is in me. It- it pushes to get _out!_"

As Obi-wan kneeled down next to her, the Force prickled in the air and he reached out to pull her hands away from her face.

"I am here… and I am still lost," she admitted sorrowfully as she finally met his gaze. Tears had smudged around her eyes and her shoulders were uncharacteristically slumped. "Please tell me you understand- I do not know how else to say it."

He only nodded, and they passed a few moments in silence. "I think it's time, Thera," he said quietly.

"Time?" she whispered.

"Do you remember your first days at the temple, when the council looked into your thoughts?"

She sucked in a breath and her hazel eyes suddenly became anxious.

Obi-wan gathered his thoughts, calming himself and collecting confidence. "I'm going to try and do the same, but it will be slower. Remember; you have limits. You can tell me when to stop."

She nodded and bit her lip, sinking down to the floor so that their knees touched. Obi-wan reached out tentatively to cup the back of her head gently and bringing his fingertips across her forehead. Nothing happened, and for a few moments Thera wondered-

_A rush of wind seemed to rip through her mind and like pulling pictures out of the sand, her memories began to play. Obi-wan was sifting back through her time at the temple - the attack on himself - the consulate dinner - the terrible Force signature of Asajj - adjusting to Coruscant - her endless hours in the archives. It was with a terrible feeling that he dug further back - beyond her rescue - past the duel - and back, deep into the corridors that Thera had been held. She endured countless midi-chlorian harvesting, malnutrition, there were weeks when her memory flitted in and out, there was no concept of time except for her figure, that continued to become thin and sallow against the metal panels her cell. Her hair grew long, her eyes unfocused…_

He was vaguely aware of her fist pounding gently against his chest, and that she was gasping. Obi-wan stopped, admonishing himself for going too far. Thera slowly opened her eyes, as if expecting the nightmare to continue. When there was nothing but herself and Obi-wan in the quiet quarters, she clutched at the folds of his tunic, and turned to stone.

Stunned by the riptide of emotion that was flowing out of her through the Force, Obi-wan was slow in reacting. With much comfort as he could muster, he dragged her into a clumsy embrace, relying on natural instinct to help with consoling.

When at first there was no reaction, he focused on the pipeline of emotions that was pouring out of her. Through the Force, he followed it like a trail, down into the source and waited- until the stream turned into a trickle, only offering his presence until she recognized him. It was all he dared attempt.

The sun was low on the horizon before she lifted her head and pulled away. The memory was still stamped in her eyes, but she composed herself with earnest.

"How do you feel?"

Against him, he could feel her body relax. It was then that he realized how close she was, how her legs curled easily around his knees, and her long hair draped like a curtain over his arm. The Force pulsed against Obi-wan's mind, creating a cloak of serenity that he had never experienced before.

"Empty," she whispered as she looked at him. "But... better somehow."

"It is important that you keep these memories close to you," Obi-Wan said in the same low whisper. "Whenever you may doubt yourself, always know what you have lived through. You will remember that you are not as weak as you may feel."

Thera nodded with finality and a sigh went through her. "I will remember."

Obi-wan could hear the makings of a promise. In his mind's eye, she would be a strong, independent, skilled Knight of the Republic. She would still hold the womanly grace that was now present in her, and the unconcealed joy that he had seen only a handful of times would also shine through. The elements would be deceptive; her enemy's undoing.

_And mine,_ his thoughts whispered. It was hard for him to recognize the first trickles of the emotion that came to him. At first he passed it off as the bond that was always formed between charge and mentor, but it was the pronounced moments of Thera that were somehow tattooing themselves in his memory. The only sensation that came back was the glowing force that he felt so often around Thera, reinforced by Yoda's words.

It was then that Obi-wan knew that he would do anything for her. With it came the resigned emotion of the barriers, the dangers. He would have to be careful, very careful.

If only the planets aligned.


	6. Training

_AN: My apologies if the narrative is confusing. This is a new format for me, and I think it's called something weird like 'third person subjective.' Anyway if you do find any slip ups, please don't hesitate to notify me. I go back and forth between past and present scenes, and it's always possible that I don't make the timeframe very clear. I'm working on it. Cheers._

_

* * *

_

In the weeks that followed, Thera did not speak to Obi-wan of her captivity. At first the Jedi worried; it would be too easy for her to fall into despair of such terrible memories. But as he closely watched her in training, it was apparent she had strengthened her resolve in her promise.

_There's only one way to know how to test it_, came the grim thought as he watched her perform Force exercises. Thera was nimbly handling multiple forces at once; though they were small and simple objects. He looked on in amusement as she pushed herself further, circling one, rotating another, until they began to form their own planetary system.

As a means of distraction, Obi-wan clapped. It echoed in the training room and Thera jerked her head slightly, dropping a few of the floating objects. She grinned at his presence, and retaliated by sending the objects over in a shower. Obi-wan had to concentrate against the speed, but with his own skill he flung the objects back, while Thera merely sidestepped and watched them clatter against the wall.

"Good afternoon, Master Kenobi," she said with a little bow. His eyebrow rose as he noticed the playful lilt in her welcome, and thought it was time for her to have a real challenge.

"Good afternoon, Thera. I have something for you," he said while pulling open a satchel that was draped over his arm.

"More gifts? You flatter a Padawan."

_Yes, definitely a playful mood,_ he thought. "These are sparring robes," he replied, setting the clothes into her arms. "Go and get changed, then we can start."

With a grin, Thera took off swiftly towards her quarters. She was back in a moment's time; her linens billowing loosely around her legs as she pulled her hair back into a messy braid. She waited with restrained calm as she listened to his lecture on the importance of hand-to-hand combat, and the assistance the Force added to the movements. It was well into the afternoon when she started stretching.

Obi-wan looked on, amused. "I take it your ready?"

* * *

"Now use the third kata, follow with a sweep."

Flowing through the movements, they stirred up the dust in the afternoon sunlight.

"Again, but this time faster-" Obi-wan kept a critical eye on her form. "Watch your footing!" He tapped the wooden pole smartly against her shin, which she distractedly batted away with her other foot. She went through the starting position again, and focused.

"Parry, up!" he barked as she adjusted to the attack. "Don't lift up so high that you can't push the lower offense."

A few Padawans were training that afternoon, but in the cavernous training room, it was relatively quiet. Thera and Obi-wan were sparring on the adjustable platforms, the wooden training dowels of their fight were clacking hollowly.

"Stop! What are your weaknesses now?" asked Obi-wan as he looked up at Thera.

Thera looked around and sighed, "My feet are on two levels, Master Kenobi. The wall only goes up."

"One spot you should never be in," nodded Obi-wan. "Since this is mainly footing we're working on, let's see if you can get yourself out of this."

Thera paused, forming the movement in her mind, then with immense concentration she kicked off the nearby wall, repelling herself up and over his left shoulder in a swift somersault. She landed awkwardly a few levels down, only faintly noticing a pain in her right arm.

Obi-wan had turned, tracking her descent. He crossed his arms, battling with an amused look on his features, "I think you're one of the few Padawan's that actually listens to the guest lectures. Is that the first time you've tried Gokaru?"

"Yes, but I didn't do it right," Thera replied breathlessly, puffing a strand of hair from her eyes.

"No, I still managed to take your arm off," said Obi-wan as if it were an everyday occurrence. He was holding back on his Padawan for the sake of letting her absorb the routines at a standard pace, but even after just days into her basic combat training, she was advancing faster- and they hadn't even begun to use Force assistance in sparring. This was the first display he had seen, and something in him said that she hadn't the slightest idea what she had just done. Obi-wan could sense the other training Padawans watching curiously.

"Points for creativeness. Try again, only this time focus on the signatures of your surroundings."

Thera took up her post again in the corner, on the defensive.

"Be wary of my distance, and this time tuck your weapon against your legs when going into the flip and pull out- keeping it chest level."

Obi-wan watched as Thera made herself perform a few basic moves, creating a rhythm for her to concentrate on the Force that made up the elements of the room. Then, in a much more graceful move that repelled off the wall again, she leapt upwards and directly above him. With her weapon tucked in front of her curled legs, she ended the jump with a broad sweep of the dowel in defense. Her footing was surer than before, but still not perfect.

_Good enough start, _thought Obi-wan as he immediately started the offensive.


	7. Limelight

It was later in the evening when he finally dismissed Thera from her exercises for the day. She was resilient in training, but once she noticed the color of the sunset, her shoulders sagged with exhaustion. Obi-wan recalled how surprised he was when she fell asleep on his shoulder in the lift up to her quarters, and it was then that he reminded himself how long it took for him to get used to the Jedi training schedule in his days with Qui-gon.

Though it had only been a few years and he had reconciled his time with his late master, he felt the same twinge in his heart when recalling his old mentor. Some of his memories were bittersweet, as Qui-gon never allowed for such a strong bond to be acknowledged between the two of them, but it was always apparent to Obi-wan when he looked for it. He could only hope there were times when his Master had acknowledged it as well.

With a sigh, Obi-wan shrugged off his thoughts and returned to his quarters. There was such a thing as routine for Jedi. He finished his reports, conducted calming exercises, and meditated in front of the long stretch of windows in his suite. It began to worry him when the creeping feeling of unsettlement stayed with him through the night.

Come 0230, Obi-wan finally acknowledged the tired ache in his mind that told his body to stay awake. It wasn't the pressing sensation of need that usually came to him from the Force, but the distinct feeling of intuition; that something was amiss. It began to grow as he left his quarters and decided to calm his mind with a walk through the upper towers. It was when he roamed the dark and echoing hallways of the ancient Jedi historicum that he felt it.

The comlink gave a strange chirp from his belt. Glancing at it, he could make out the security grid that he had activated for Thera's suite; he had all but forgotten it over the past weeks.

It was with growing dread that he sprinted to the lifts, already requesting assistance on Thera's level. Looking at the readout again from his datapad; it was now indicating that a breach had been made from outside the building. Re-reading the data again, his stomach threatened to drop. Practically forcing the lift doors open and tearing down the hallway, in the back of his mind he sensed that other Padawan's and Jedi's were now present behind him.

The door to her suite opened automatically, his lightsaber already drawn, but only a roar of wind greeted him as he entered. Once inside, Obi-wan found there was no essence of darkness that was ever present before a duel. The night wind whipped through the broken windows and glass littered the floor. Distant city lights illuminated the sheets and remnants of pillows that blew about the room.

Reaching inside- past his racing feelings and mental cries of action, he focused within the Force, trying to locate her. The pleasant, warm pulse that he only associated with Thera was still there, although weak.

Turning back to a small group of onlookers at the doorway, he started doling orders.

"Guka," he said, recognizing a padawan, "Notify the council of the breach, if they don't know it already. Then check with the security grid to see if there are any other places like this. The rest of you- notify your masters, and do a search of the common areas. A Sith has been here- do not take any chances on your own."

The group parted for him as he dashed back to the lifts. He didn't need to see into the Force for the most likely spot Thera would be at this time of night.

He was already within sight of the archive doors. Swinging them open with a wave of his hand, Obi-wan was met by the eerie darkness of a cavern. Before, the table lamps and the smell of wood and paper would calm him, but now it took on an ominous quality in the emergency lighting.

"_Thera! Tell me where you are!"_ he shouted, racing along the edge of the isles. Obi-wan had hoped that as he entered, he would have seen her asleep over a text or warding off nightmares by watching the holonet. Listening over his footsteps, there was only silence. Sprinting through the levels, it wasn't until he reached the genealogy reference section when he finally saw her.

The lavender dressing gown had pooled around her prone form in the isle. Datapads had scattered, a few of their screens cracked. With a quiet speed, he kneeled down, pulling her up by her shoulders. She was surprisingly stiff which sent a fleeting moment of horror through him, but her signature pulse within the Force was still warm and present.

Again through his comlink, he requested a medical droid as he examined her. Her face was flushed and her fingers had contracted into fists; it was then that he noticed the gemstone necklace that she never took off. It was glowing in time with her pulse and Obi-wan looked on, bewildered.

"Thera, can you hear me?" he asked as he placed a cool palm to her forehead. Her mind was churning with a strange, disconnected current. None of the thoughts were tangible.

She didn't stir, and it was then that he decided that the medidroid was taking too long. Curling an arm around her back and under her knees, he picked her up easily and headed to the level railing. Focusing, he sprung over the rail and down three floors below, landing lithely on a desk.

On arrival in the medical bay, he was surprised to find that it was nearly full. He set Thera on a nearby sickbed and got the attention of the healer that had treated her previously.

"Ghreshard, what happened here?"

The Twi'lek swiftly examined the Padawan's form as he spoke; "There was a security breach on three levels. It seems that three Padawans and one Knight are unaccounted for. Near as anyone can tell, you alerted enough Jedi in time to prevent even more losses." Ghreshard looked back at Obi-wan, "But that's just hear-say at the moment, Jedi Kenobi. Was this the state that you found her in?"

"Yes, I don't know how long she has been like this. Last I saw her, was around 2200 this evening." He looked back to the busy infirmary. Master's stood over their Padawans, ignoring their own hurts. More than a few eyes turned to look back at him at Thera's bedside.

Looking back to the healer, Obi-wan watched him administer a muscle relaxant and Thera's head lolled to the side, her fingers gently unclenching.

"This doesn't seem to be a virus," Ghreshard murmured to himself. "I'm going to run some midi-chlorian tests... pull up a seat Jedi Kenobi. All of us are going to have a long night."

Obi-wan sighed as he watched the healer request a test with one of the droids, then returned to the other patients. He pulled a blanket over Thera, and tried to clear his mind enough to think. She wasn't any different during training exercises, he thought as he sat down next to her bed. Except for those advanced moves that caught him off guard. Her Force signature hadn't changed. In fact, it had amplified. Where it was distinct before, it was now hard to ignore.

As the medidroids flicked around his padawan, Obi-wan walked past the sickbeds, comforting his peers and padawans alike. There was little that he gleaned from his conversations; they were in shock, and their memories overpowered. It sounded almost too familiar to him. It was after other patients were discharged that Ghreshard was able to speak with Obi-wan again. The healer and Jedi conversed in hushed tones, and Obi-wan seemed wary of how Ghreshard clutched Thera's medical datapad close to him.

"Now, forgive me Jedi Kenobi, as I feel I'm a little behind with our Thera here. I did not get to examine her personally when she first arrived. You say that she is from a system outside of the Republic, and that she had all of the correct inoculations aboard your ship when she first arrived?"

"Yes, she responded well to them. She had several lacerations upon rescue, but I went through procedure and treated her with bacta," replied Obi-wan as he looked back down at Thera. Her fingers had curled into fists again, and her jaw seemed to be clenching. "She needed a full tank."

"Rescue, yes. The story is that she has come from captivity of a Sith?"

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"A year, possibly."

There was a pause as the answer weighed heavily in their minds. "And the attack on you in your quarters, the report was that you were assaulted by droids that held midi-chlorial cells?"

"Yes," replied Obi-wan numbly. He kept his gaze on Thera's face.

The doctor cleared his throat uncomfortably; "I requested from Master Windu the medical readouts of Thera Munro while she was aboard your ship. Her midi-chlorians were very weak, and her cerebral functions were… sluggish."

"And now," prompted Obi-wan, as he let the doctor draw his own conclusions.

"Now…" Ghreshard held the digital chart in front of Kenobi's gaze as he enlarged a graph with expert fingers. "Her midi-chlorians are the most concentrated- that I've ever seen. It seems as though her body has finally come to the level of maturity, but it has not had to deal with the full midi-chlorian count in her bloodstream for some time."

Obi-wan's brow furrowed and looked back to Ghreshard.

"She's not sick, Jedi Kenobi. She's adjusting, healing. It's only a matter of time."

"Healing," Obi-wan repeated it to himself just to make sure the notion seeped into his conscious. He was dead on his feet that night, but the news that the healer had delivered to him finally allowed for him to rest mentally. He sat next to Thera until the first of the two suns peeked over Coruscant's horizon. As he sat, he remembered one particularly bad mission as a Padawan to Qui-gon. Although it was nothing more than a blaster to his shoulder, the feeling of being wounded for the first time was almost too much to bear. He had awoke three days later to Qui-gon leaning over him, looking puzzled and yet relieved.

"Obi-wan."

He looked up to find Master Windu leaning against the foot of Thera's bed, a piercing look dominating his features. Outside the suns had risen.

"The council would like to have a meeting."

"Yes…of course," Kenobi replied as he ran a hand over his tired face.


	8. Still Glowing

_AN: The music described in this chapter is inspired directly from Yann Tiersen's La Boulange. Listen to it, and see for yourself if you can't distinguish a bit of Kenobi in it._

_

* * *

_

"I have a theory, Masters," said Kenobi after he relayed testimony to the Jedi council. His peers lined the room as they listened to the night's story unfold. There was a tremendous feeling of devastation in the room; three Padawans and five younglings were now cited as missing.

Master Yoda nodded for him to continue.

"My own Padawan was a mark and because of her pronounced midi-chlorian levels, I believe it was the link between her and the missing Jedi. Before she has been a target. During her captivity and as we've also seen here in the temple in a previous security breach, her midi-chlorians have been... harvested, and used for means only befitting of the dark side.

"Only a Sith could have this power or knowledge, and we know that an apprentice has made a recent appearance here on Coruscant. This is also an old technique, recorded to have been in use during the reign of the Vernus Empire. As to what means, I do not know."

Yoda grunted in grim agreement. "To what means, certainly. Sound this theory is, and immediate do we send Jedi to the beginning."

But the reconnaissance mission did not allow for Obi-wan to leave. As the council learned of Thera's state, it was agreed for him to stay as guidance when she regained consciousness. He wondered vaguely if the same order was given to Qui-gon to the times when Obi-wan was holed up in the infirmary as a Padawan.

It was three days later when Thera finally awoke.

He had perched in his lap a copy of his favorite theories from the late Master Jedi Kefa'l Rashum. When he could not seek the serenity of the temple gardens, he borrowed the text from the Jedi library, as he had done since he was a youngling. It now was forgotten in his hands as the twin suns began to rise again. He watched the horizon as they glowed, and Obi-wan could smell the morning meal that was cooking in the nearby galley.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her hand flex. When he fully turned, her eyes cracked open, her pupil's dilated black.

Her brow furrowed as she watched his expression, Obi-wan watching with uncertainty.

"I've gone and done it again, haven't I?" she asked after a moment, her voice cracked from disuse. Slowly she pulled herself upright, legs curling around her on the bed. Her movements were concise and strained, her eyes settling on him after surveying the mediward.

Obi-wan gave her a brief grin as he stood up and leaned over her, eyeing her critically.

"How long have I been here?"

"Three days," he murmured as he held her gaze. Thera met it, but she had the distinct sensation that she was being examined.

"I don't know what happened. I was in the library- I couldn't get to sleep. I was researching the Vernus Empire, thinking it would put me to sleep. It was the last thing I remember-"

Placing his hands on her shoulders, he allowed the weight itself to calm her. "You did nothing wrong, Thera. The healer found that your body was reacting to the growing midi-chlorial levels in your blood. But I need you to think; do you remember why it was that you left your room? Why you went to the archives?"

She thought back, her mind clearing a little. After the training she had felt weary, but the adrenaline had not worn off and a peculiar queasiness had settled in her. She had tried to sleep, tried to drink tea and clear her mind, but her quarters had begun to feel like a cell and she felt the urge to leave. She related this to Obi-wan.

"Why didn't you come and find me?"

Thera frowned, "Should I always find you when I'm scared or sick?"

Obi-wan thought that the medical ward spoke for itself, but he noted that she was only four years his junior. He understood that it seemed childish to her to divulge such things, but now was not the time to take chances. This instance he counted himself grateful that she was not one of the missing.

"There is still much of the Force that you have not experienced," he gently brushed the underside of her chin, coaxing her face up to look at him. "Did you think I would be angry?"

"No, not angry. I think that I rely on you too much already," she said quietly, as she averted her gaze.

"It may help you to know that I rely on you as well. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. There are even times when I doubt myself as your mentor."

At this, Thera's eyes widened as she looked back to him. Obi-wan watched as she opened and closed her mouth, trying to form words around the appalled expression on her face.

She finally composed herself; "You're a fool." She paused to read his expression, but he only showed bemused curiosity. "I've met the other masters; the famous Jedi lecturers. I wouldn't have anyone else."

Obi-wan grinned in attempt to hide his flattered features. "Nor shall you. I made a promise to train you to the best of your abilities. But there comes a point where you must trust me beyond your better judgment. Will you do this?"

Thera nodded and swallowed thickly, trying to minimize the loophole that she saw in the question. "Only if you promise… not to risk yourself for my sake."

"Rarely does it come to that," he replied seriously. "Can you walk?"

She nodded and gingerly placed her feet on the floor in front of him, and Obi-wan guided her to Ghreshard's lab. "Let's get you checked out. There is more to tell of the last few days."

* * *

It was after her discharge, when she had cleaned up and changed into a new set of robes, that Obi-wan related the story of the attacks of the previous night. Thera sat silent on the bench in her now repaired suite. Obi-wan had salvaged the data from her ruined music table; its replacement the only evidence of what had happened to the room.

"Now I understand why you asked me to find you," said Thera quietly to herself.

Obi-wan nodded and continued to pace her room thoughtfully. He had always preferred to move while thinking, and the spacious quarters were welcoming compared to his confined flat.

"May I ask why you are not on the recovery mission?"

Obi-wan blinked, "I was not assigned. It was the council's intention that I watch over you until you awoke."

"Would you have gone if not for me?"

He folded his hands into the sleeves of his robe. "I believe that is irrelevant, Padawan."

Thera stared at him, confused. "It is irrelevant that the choice was made for you, or that you deemed it best?"

Obi-wan sighed as he stopped in front of her. "Your speech has improved greatly."

Thera made a face and motioned for him to continue.

"My own master did the same for me, and I agreed with the council's choice… for you."

Thera had only heard in passing from the other Jedi of Obi-wan's past mentor. She did not pity him for losing his master, for she knew he was a strong in mind, but some connections were best remembered privately. Still, she had to agree it was comforting to awake in the mediward to a familiar face.

"Thank you for being there, Master Kenobi."

It was true that Thera wished a form of independence from Obi-wan. At times she felt almost too close to him- close enough to tuck into his shoulder and forget the evil that seemed to be waiting for her, even on Coruscant. Even in her days of unconsciousness she could still sense through the Force. She could feel others around her faintly, but it was the warm comforting pulse that was Obi-wan that was always near, and it allowed her mind to relax and focus on healing.

It had taken her a moment, but she had carefully hid her surprise when she awoke in the mediward. As her gaze traveled over Obi-wan, she watched as he glowed ethereally; his reaction from realizing that she was awake. It had dissipated as they talked and just when she thought it was a strange fluke that all Jedi went through, she was proven wrong. In the hallways of the temple, her peers had faint auras as well. Although she noted, none of them were as strong as Obi-wan's.

"Something has changed since I woke," she said cautiously. "When was asleep, I was in my body- only like a shell. I could only feel with the Force," Thera's gaze followed him as he paced the expanse of the main room. "It was quite amazing. I could focus on anyone. Is that how you feel others though the Force? By their sense?"

Obi-wan nodded, "Yes, but it is a rare discipline to feel who belongs to what sense." He was looking her over critically. She was still the same and yet an inner strength seemed to be radiating outwards, almost pulling him in with its gravity. Never mind that her language was improved beyond comprehension. Never mind that she was somehow mentally touching him in ways that somehow stirred his heart awake. It was what he had heard some of the master's describe as a waking dream.

"I could feel them. I could feel you," her eyes had the intense glimmer that he had not seen before. "Do you know what you feel like in the Force?"

Obi-wan shook his head, but his Jedi intuition shouted at him that if he did not stop this conversation now -if he found out how his Force signature looked like through Thera's eyes- there would be no turning back. He would forever compare every woman, every Jedi to her. It would have a ludicrous effect on him, but he did not speak in time.

"You're so bright, it's hard to ignore you," her tone was wondrous. "It's warm, it's like hope. It's always there." She finished quietly, her head tilting to the side as her eyes swept over his face.

Obi-wan looked at her in stunned silence.

"You're still glowing," Thera said with a smile.

Roiling - that was the word for his emotions as they responded to this. Obi-wan was staggered by the way she had simply complimented him on his… Force signature of all things. The same gravity that had settled around her was even more prominent. He slowly sat down next to her, working hard to control his actions. She did not waver from his stare, and it was a few minutes before he spoke again.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're holding back on me?" he finally said to himself.

Another smile renewed on Thera's features as her eyes flitted to the music table. "I finished a few songs. Would you like to hear?"

"'The Jedi'?" Obi-wan queried as he followed her to the table.

She huffed a small laugh, "Close your eyes; all the better to see yourself with."

Obi-wan settled onto the bench next to her, still feeling a little punch-drunk, he welcomed the relief of closing his eyes. He could hear Thera's fingertips tapping the console, then quiet.

The music filled the room suddenly, powerful and resonant. From what he could recognize, it was a full Jendoan orchestra, but inside there was a harder edge to it. It started off sweetly, almost easily enough, but the chorus interrupted into a hard pulse of noise. Violins sang against a metallic string, and flat notes resonated with strong purpose. The tempo became quick and clashing, as if the instruments were fighting for space but still in complete harmony. It was clear that it reflected a battle, perhaps the very one that Thera had witnessed between him and the Sith. In his minds' eye, he could view the perfect movements that followed the notes. In the melody there was hope, even times when it dimmed within the song, it was still there. The music arched, swelled, and Obi-wan felt the adrenaline that only occurred for him in battle. Suddenly it ended on a quelling note that was open to interpretation of how everything could end.

When he was sure it was over, Obi-wan opened his eyes to see Thera smiling back. It was the same smile that she wore when she was inducted into padawan training.

"It is you," she said simply, knowingly. Her expression told him that she waited for his critique.

"You think so?" Pressing the table to play the music again, he looked over the score as it displayed in time with the music. "You wrote this? All of it?"

"I wrote, but it's not my song. It's from my home. I'm reminded of it whenever I see you," she said again, trying to read his expressions. "It was the hardest one to write. To remember."

"It's remarkable. I think it's the highest form of compliment that I've received."

Again the strong chorus was playing and with it, Thera smiled so widely that a delighted laugh slipped out. "I am so glad you like it," she said with a hint of relief in her words.

Through her smile and the song, Obi-wan saw just how radiant she could be when she was truly happy. It wasn't so much of a stretch to see how the music applied to anyone; it was filled with struggle, clarity, hope, and adventure. With a feeling that was similar to a clenching around his heart, Obi-wan realized what was happening. They listened through the remainder of the song; the two gazing out at the horizon of Coruscant.

Thera's hands were clasped in her lap as she broke the silence. "I feel I should tell you that more memories have come back to me."

"When did this happen?"

"After you helped return my memories of the Sith," she stated quietly. "It was the next day. I remembered my brother." A wistful smile came upon her face as she looked back to Obi-wan. "He has hair like mine, only with dark brown eyes. Four years younger than I am. He teased me of my singing, but he loved whatever I cooked for him. He was skinny; a swimmer. He never spoke of a horrible accident I saved him from. Yet I think he knew."

Obi-wan nodded calmly, "Did he have the same ability as you do?"

Thera sighed and shook her head, "No, but we were close. He was jealous at one time, but he did not have the ability to become a Jedi."

"And you miss him," Obi-wan stated, glad that they were finally acknowledging the subject of her family.

She grimaced. "Of course, very much so. But if I could go back, what would it do? My family would be in danger, and if there was no danger… it wouldn't be the same life for me. I do not forget the promise that I have made for my own life- for the Jedi."

Obi-wan reached out and smoothed the hair away from her eyes. Yoda was right, she was forming into the model Padawan, and her strengths were beginning to outweigh her weaknesses. "You are beyond your years, Thera."

At the words, Thera went lax. She never chose to read Obi-wan's feelings through the Force as she felt it unnecessary; she had only to ask, and he would tell. But this ran deeper, and the complexity of their relationship quickly built a wall around her emotions, covering her disappointment as his hand fell away.

She felt it distinctly- the bond between them had finally fused into an iron chord. Next to her, Obi-wan paused as if recognizing that something was forming as well, but if he did acknowledge it, he did not discuss it. Instead, when he realized that she would not speak more of her family, he began to tell her of the advanced training that he planned to take her up on, as well as the work she would continue with Master Billaba while he was away on missions.

It was well into the day when they had finished their discussion about Thera's recovery and the abducted Padawans. It was with a heavy heart that she listened to Obi-wan's suggestion of meditation; "Do not dwell on this, actions are being taken. The more you focus on your training, the more ready you will be in the future on their behalf."

It was how she came to be in her quarters, calming herself to the best of her abilities in the echo of Obi-wan's words. In the early evening she focused, and it was a while before she was able to push away the feelings of guilt, sadness, and utter fear that had developed in her mind. Quite clearly she replayed her rescue from the Sith's vessel. But the memory fueled her need for action, for revenge. But revenge was founded only out of vindication, and she reminded herself that she had walked away from that path.

She meditated on Obi-wan as well. Thera had realized their relationship was unique- that it was rare and considered dangerous for a Padawan of her age, and with Obi-wan not even a full master. He had taken up the challenge just the same, and she had the sense that he had been advocating for her to be trained weeks before the council declared her his Padawan.

He treated her with respect, as she had seen by other Master and apprentice pairs, but there was a fine line that separated them; it was often that relationships in the temple were displayed as child and adult, rather than novice and master. Thera did not feel that way with Obi-wan. She was startled to realize that she considered him as her best friend, and someone whom she trusted completely. There were moments when she enjoyed his full attention and quite a few more when she quelled the urge to reach out and touch him just because he was there.

She tucked away those impluses, chalking them up to only idle loneliness and adjustment to her new world. Thera reminded herself the promise she had given to the Jedi, and the emotions that she knew she still had yet to master.

But how did they do it? How did they stand it, when it felt like these new worlds were pliable to their fingertips?


	9. Resurfacing

Months passed as she trained with Obi-wan. Her skills rose with time, and the only mishap were the crippling spasms of her legs during sparring when Thera realized that she was dehydrated. Rarely a day went by when they were not together, but whispers of political turmoil within the Senate began to reach the Jedi council, and the success of Kenobi's training with his padawan proved that he was ready for the trials as a Master. It would only be a matter of testing Thera.

It was late one morning when Thera was indulging in a mug of caf that she spoke with Obi-wan of a disturbing sensation; "It's like the sky before the storm- you can feel the clouds gathering over a central point. Energy is growing, almost like it's fighting with one another."

"You're sensing the Dark Side." He sat across from her in the quiet hall of the galley.

Thera bit her lip as her hands curled around her cup. "I don't believe it is. Ominous, almost uncertain. I don't think it's the Dark Side of the Force. It feels nothing like what you've taught me to recognize. There's no anger, or fear."

He only nodded, looking thoughtfully into his glass of bajjah. "There is a settlement in the outer regions of Quitarna system that the council believes surveillance is necessary. I will be working with Master Windu again for a few weeks, or at least until the Senate intervenes with regulatory assistance."

"May I ask, Master… do you think I am at all ready to join you?"

He gave a slight smirk, "My opinion?"

She mimicked the expression, "It does matter."

"I have already told Master Yoda that I believe you're ready to assistance on missions. It's up to the council when they find one that suits you best."

"But you're worried," replied Thera as a subtle sense of trepidation hit her. "You think this is happening too fast."

Obi-wan calmly met her gaze, revealing none of the sense that she detected. "Yes, you are only in the first stages of training. It's too soon… in my opinion," he said quietly. "But you've been exemplary. There is no reason for you not to take this next step in your training."

They sat in companionable silence for awhile, finishing their drinks and Obi-wan escorting her back towards the main training levels of the temple. Thera was to study the cultures of the underdeveloped regions of the Republic, and Obi-wan was requested to meet for a debriefing with Master Windu of the upcoming mission to Quitarna.

They paused outside the main lecture hall; younger padawans filing in through the large doors, the sunlight of the afternoon filtering lazily into the elegant arched hallways.

"May I see your finished report on podraces? It would give me some reading for the journey," said Obi-wan as he spied the visuals displayed in the lecture hall.

But the tease fell on deaf ears as Thera stared with a furrowed brow down the hallway. She turned at the sound of his voice. "Obi-wan, you do realize that you are the most important part of my life, don't you?"

It had now grown quiet as the Padawans deserted the hallway, and he recovered from the open question. Throughout their time together as Master and Padawan, he and Thera had never discussed such topics since she had brought up remembering her brother. Obi-wan now looked her over: her datapad in hand for the lecture, her simple delegates' dress that she had not been able to change out of because of their afternoon drink. She had made the admission not with worry, but stating a simple fact; one that she believed he had a right to know.

"Yes, I do," he said, taking a step close. It was a statement, but he felt it hang in the air as a question for her to explain.

Thera tilted her head in thought, "I think… as your apprentice, I understand you feel it's your duty to teach me the Jedi code. But what you believe matters to me as well. I…just wanted to let you know that."

Obi-wan chuckled as he crossed his arms, "I understand; you want a well-rounded education."

"A biased one," she clarified with a grin.

It was after the lecture had ended that Thera received a data message from Obi-wan. He and Master Windu had been deployed immediately once the council had received word that communications systems were being threatened on Quitarna. In the twilight of her suite, Thera sadly looked down at the data. She had not been able to say goodbye, nor to experience the mission. It would be the next day that she needed to meet Master Billaba and arrange for training of a different kind.

It was five weeks later when she neared the end of her training with Master Depa Billaba on Warrenglen. It was refreshing to learn from another Jedi such as Depa, but Thera felt an odd hollowness, a strange sort of disconnect without Obi-wan's presence. She never worried for his part; she knew and was trained to know that it served no purpose. He could take care of himself on tame reconnaissance missions; even in the face of battle she did not think him a risk in combat. Even though Thera knew that she was years older than a normal Padawan's start, she began to wonder if they all felt the same restlessness when it came to first shadowing their master on a mission.

Depa Billaba became something of a surrogate mother to Thera as they trained on Warenglen. Although a Denodian, Depa's skill lay mostly with manipulating the Force, and her sense was so attuned with personal emotions that she immediately led Thera into meditation on the ship as it departed for Warrenglen.

"_Chøi_- your thoughts are spinning!" she said with a cluck of her tongue as she shooed Thera into the cold quarters of the ship. "You need a real retreat, yes you do."

Depa's home planet was dense with vegetation- the opposite of Coruscant, and she trained Thera to focus on Force signatures of objects and the environment. It was mentally exhausting and she had little time for thoughts of her friends, her past, or Obi-wan's mission.

A great deal of the exercises were in nature. That afternoon, they sat in a wide meadow, the two women like statues amongst the blue flowing grasses. It wasn't long before Depa tuned into Thera's meditations, finding a barrier against her mind.

"You have reinforced the barrier- sealing off your thoughts, this is good. But you built them too soon. They are pushing back, no?"

Thera nodded through closed eyes, her long hair whispered around her shoulders. "My past... it's hiding from me."

"Is it?" Depa asked her simply. "Or is it too hard to bear the thought? To remember what your mother was like, the smell of your home, your fondest memory…"

At first, Thera shied away from the idea. Her temples began to pound as she listened to Depa's words slowly forcing their way into her mind.

"Envision water, and look down into it…"

_Thera was grasping the edge of a landing bay, the wind whipping her hair about her. She was back on the Sith's ship, and below her the detra lakes reflected her face as if she was merely looking into a puddle. She watched as they melded into honeycomb shapes and one by one, her face faded from them._

"…A wind comes, and the water ripples…"

_In the jemstone colors of the lakes, Thera watched as one played a scene. It was her as she sat in the seat of her first transport. A smile was spreading over her features as she smoothed her hand over the steering. In the lake next to it, another memory formed; an athletics team, full of giggling girls. Others - her school graduation - her grandmother as she spoiled Thera with sweets - a starry night as she watched an outdoor holovid - her father as he placed a toy tiara on top of her head, and pushed her playfully towards a garden. Thera watched as the lakes slowly began to fill, and her memories spilled out of her vision and onto the horizon._

_It felt similar to a wave pounding against the surf. Mentally rocked backwards, her eyes began to water against the rush of memories. She didn't know how long it took, but the floodgate was open and she allowed her mind to take in everything._

"…and who you really are, comes to light."

_She turned to look back into the landing bay, and took in the thirty clone Thera's staring back at her. Each was different, distinct. Some were sallow, scarred, sad. Others were powerful, beautiful, emanating strength with the Force. They were transparent, flickering in and out of her vision of the landing bay. None of them were tangible, but her subconscious knew the possibilities that still lay before her._

Outside her meditation, she could feel Depa place a hand on her forearm, pulling her back to the present. "Very interesting, Padawan Munroe," Billaba mused as Thera opened her eyes. "How do you feel?"

Thera breathed in the air and composed herself, "Confused, Master. I'm… overwhelmed."

Depa stood easily and gestured back to the settlement they were residing in during their stay. "I think that is enough for now, no? Too many memories; you must think on them. Oof-ha, I know not how you live so long without them."

It had taken awhile for Thera to get used to Depa's wit, but she turned a questioning eye at the comment. "I suppose I was trying so hard to get used to my life in the present that my mind wasn't ready for the past."

"Quite, quite," said Depa as they set off at a brisk pace. "'Bittersweet is still sweet,' my Mameha always say. You are aware that you can choose, and if you keep that skill, you will always be open to the Force. Choose to follow it, choose to change it. It is a delicate balance that all Jedi face." She adjusted her brown robes and pursed her lips in thought, "I think the Jedi code tends to look over this. Very unfortunate. Too many follow the code; too many can't think for themselves about what lies beyond it."

Thera was listening with interest, "And what lies beyond it?"

Depa gave the Padawan a knowing smirk, "The Jedi code is a simple formula to avoid the Dark Side. But light cannot exist without the dark. Jedi would not be Jedi without the Sith. Much of the Force that is dark, is simply one who cannot control themselves; one who cannot bend with the will of the Force."

Thera distinctly felt a cold finger touch her spin at her words.

As her awareness of the Force grew over those weeks, Thera began to appreciate her time away from Coruscant and the limited lectures that she was meant to glean experience from outside of Obi-wan's guidance. Nevertheless, it was with a light heart as she and Depa returned to Coruscant.

Obi-wan and Master Windu were still abroad, and with her newfound skill in masking her emotions from her elders, Thera resigned herself to more time beyond Depa's training. In the month following, she had learned of the current state of the Republic; Quintarna was the terrain on which the brainchild revolt of the Separatists began to grow in the middle regional system. Their campaign was beginning to spread, and they were being supplied by a suspiciously effective source. It was up to the Jedi to find the source so that the Republic Senate was able to oppose something tangible.

Upon their return, Depa placed a small simple canvas bag in Thera's hands as they made their way through the temple. Thera peeked inside to find small pieces of insignificant scrap metal.

"Only Kenobi will determine when you receive your central fusion generator, but I thought it wouldn't hurt for you to have a few extra features," said Depa with an exaggerated wink. "I'm interested to see what color you'll be. Very interested."

It was only after careful examination of the parts that Thera realized they were elements of a lightsaber. As she sat cleaning the parts in her quarters, she began to wonder why Depa wanted to know the color of her blade. Thera had seen others; a few padawans and their masters, but the colors rarely ranged beyond blue and green, and the deep red of the Sith as the archive texts explained. As a calming exercise, Thera focused on the metal pieces and through the Force she saw their framework take shape. An intricate ribbed fuse now sat assembled on the table in front of her, and she sighed.

Weeks went by while waiting.

Even as Thera told herself that she had made the right choice to become a Jedi, her days were becoming monotonous with routine and meditation under Depa's sporadic guidance. She knew it was not Depa's place to advance Thera's dueling skills, and she felt at an even greater disadvantage when she realized that no more music was coming back to her. Depa escorted her around Coruscant, and was of some assistance when Thera was forced to make the choice of a more permanent form of Jedi attire. So it was with some trepidation and encouragement that she wandered through the markets of Coruscant.

"Think of those you will encounter and protect. You must be ready for anything. A female is versatile in disguise, more so than others. The last thing you must focus on are your garments."

"Yes Master, but may I ask-"

"No, best not to wait until your first mission. You like to plan too much, Munro. This I think. No, this I _know_," she said with an irritated toss of her dark braids.

Thera only selected boots that day, much like she had seen many of the Knights wearing, including Obi-wan. She commissioned and measured for a two-toned grey jumpsuit. As the tailor sketched out the final product, Thera looked at the elegant style and nearly gaped. What was modest in coverage became a form fitted suit that ended elegantly at the elbows, the scooped neck following the lines of the fabric. She was surprised when Depa only suggested a nexu leather harness belt.

What Thera soon discovered was that the styles of Coruscant were more regal than she was used to. She never paid much attention to the plain dresses that Obi-wan had given her, but in comparison to the fabrics and styles that she was now seeing, she understood that he had gone out of the way to find something comforting and simple.

How was Obi-wan? Her mind wandered as she waited at Depa's side; the master bartering with a semi-malfunctioning droid. Thera had never heard of such a gap of time between Master and Padawan. Furthermore, she had asked Depa if it was common for communication of missions to the Jedi temple.

"Only in an unexpected twist," said Depa calmly.

Thera felt anxious waiting, but Depa proved worthy of keeping the Padawan busy. Only at night when Thera sat blankly at her music table did she allow herself to comforting knowledge that the bond between her and Obi-wan still existed. She would know if anything had happened, she reasoned.

* * *

Obi-wan sat tiredly in the communications center as he surveyed the Quintan's reinforcement schedule. It was only the other week that they had been able to break up the Separatist groups that had been damaging the supply route, and now they had finally managed to repair the com center. It had been three days since he had slept.

_Another aspect I still have yet to train her_, he thought idly as he scanned the droid readouts.

_She doesn't show it, _Depa reported to him the other month._ But she worries. Too much I should think. I am no betting Floúdian, but she is not blue, nor green. She will be a surprise, I believe._

So Master Billaba had given Thera the makings of her own lightsaber, he thought. He felt a twinge of regret, wishing he could have seen the look on her face. It was on impulse that he activated the communications module, and entered the code for an encrypted signal that would relay back through to Coruscant.

In the com deck, Obi-wan spoke calmly into the recorder with his hands tucked into the sleeves of his robes. "Greeting's Thera. I hope this finds you well. I am sorry I did not have time to elaborate on your training with Master Billaba but from her updates on your teachings, it seems that you're exemplary in her presence as well. I'm proud that you are able to adapt to another master's requests. I look forward to the stories of Warrenglen.

"At this point I am unsure of our return, as Master Windu will deem when it is best. But it's my personal assurance to you, that the council is aware of our status. As for when we will return, I can only imagine it will be soon. In the meanwhile… I hope to hear new music."

He knew his grin would only be heard through the encrypted audio of his voice, but he felt this little assurance would be welcomed. It was only after the message was confirmed delivered, that Obi-wan allowed himself to sleep.

Parsecs away in her quarters, Thera jolted awake.

* * *

Though much of her teachings were based on the ordeals she was to face as a Jedi, Thera couldn't remember the simple fact if Coruscant had seasons. She had certainly spent enough time on the planet, and as she sat in one of the grand lecture halls, her head propped up by her palm, she watched the brilliant sunlight pour through the main windows and down onto the other padawans. The day was by all means a lazy summer inspiration, and she fully intended to indulge in the temple gardens so that she could review her notes in peace. She was half paying attention to the lecture visuals, half studying the dust-motes of the room, when suddenly an achingly strong pull formed around her heart.

It had been weeks since the Force had spoken to her, and that was only when she sought out Force signatures on Warrenglen. Thera peeked at the timetable on her datapad; 1139 hours. Ugh. She tried quelling the sensation, focusing on the speech of the session, but it was as though too much caf had entered her system. Thera gritted her teeth and focused on the clock, her knuckles turning white against the edges of her seat.

Soon she began to understand why Jedi heeded the call of the Force; it was almost painful not to do so. A few nearby Padawans turned in alarm as they became aware of her Force signature, but none of them dared question during a lecture.

It was with great effort that Thera waited through the last minutes of the class, and with a blinding speed she ran through the isles and past other indignant Jedi and Padawans. Without hesitation she bolted through the hallways and up the main stairwell to the lifts. Using the faster freight elevator, she waited with agonizing patience as she tried to contain the sensation within her as the lift rose. She didn't need to look down at the incoming message on her datapad to see the vessel that landing on the temple servicing platform.

They only had minutes to spare as Master Windu was dropped off at the senate, their report integral for the days' sessions as agreed by the council. As Obi-wan downloaded the mission reports onto the temple mainframe, he allowed himself to relax and take in the familiar skyline. He had half-expected to see Thera on the landing platform, but had only encountered the maintenance droids upon opening the landing bay. He gathered up his cloak and set out across the platform in the brilliant mid-day sunlight. The pleasant feeling of being back on Coruscant was taken over by something else. A blooming Force signature that he knew too well.

_Thera._

He was only feet away from the doors of the lift when they opened and Thera bolted through, her eyes catching him before her body could register. Instead of attempting to stop the collision, she threw her arms around his neck, effectively rocking him back on his heels. Obi-wan was blindsided by surprise at the action, and it only took him a moment to recognize how much he had missed Thera in his months away. On the sunlit platform, he raised his arms and hugged her close, settling his cheek on top of her head.

"You're back," she whispered into his chest. Through the fabric, Obi-wan could feel her features turn into a smile.

Obi-wan grinned, despite of his weariness. "Yes," he said as he pulled back and held Thera at arms length, studying her. He masked his surprise and his approval; it seemed that Depa had already made her mark. "And it appears you have much to tell me."

Another planet fell into place.


	10. Stars End

Obi-wan sat listening to the animated stories that issued from his Padawan. He knew most of them already, as Depa had been thorough in keeping him updated with her training abroad. She did share with him that Thera's memories had wholly resurfaced, and her demeanor and outlook had changed for the better. Her eyes were clearer, more focused. Her voice sounded with smooth confidence and her expressions more thoughtful than critical. Instead, he was using the moment to detect the less than obvious changes in her.

His Padawan had taken to a more practical wardrobe- at least for a Jedi, he mused. Thera had been outfitted with Nexu leather boots that many of the Jedi knights wore, although the style was distinctly more feminine. It was the rest of the outfit that Obi-wan knew was Depa's doing. Slender charcoal gray bodysuit with reinforced knees and capped elbows were another element all together. It was something that he had only seen on Maldan free-divers, and he had to admit that the only thing missing from the picture was her lightsaber. She had shown the ribbed fuse that Depa had given her, and asked what it was for exactly.

"It's to regulate the intensity of your blade," Obi-wan replied as he looked it over. "It will be important when you start training. I've never seen one quite as complex though."

Thera's long braid fell over her shoulder as she took it back. "And what of your mission? I did not see Master Windu on the landing platform."

"He's currently vouching for the Jedi with the Senate about our recent findings."

She nodded in return, "I have been studying modern politics. It's so complicated… but even the Jedi here speak of the Separatist uprisings in the nearby systems."

Obi-wan thought for a moment as he looked over her sun-kissed features. "Thera, do you realize you speak of the Jedi as if you aren't one yourself?"

She blinked, "I'm only a Padawan."

"Padawan, Knight, Master… they are all the same. When you are training in the ways of the Force, it does not wait for you to determine if you regard yourself as a Jedi. You simply are."

Thera looked a little miffed; "Ok, I'm a Jedi."

The statement was simple, if not a tad unbelieving. But she mulled the statement over again as Obi-wan waited for it to sink in. Over the course of a minute, a rare and wondrous smile formed as she whispered; "I'm a Jedi."

Obi-wan grinned, "Yes, now you are."

* * *

It was a brief period of respite from training that Thera indulged herself in visiting the room of a thousand fountains. Quite often she found that titles were figurative, except in the case of the archives. When Obi-wan had related the story of how he had found her in the genealogy section, a questioning look came to his eyes. She had told him she was surprised at how similar humans were throughout the Republic in comparison to the species from her homeworld. Obi-wan listened, fascinated as she recounted the worldwide belief of her planet; their main cause of space exploration only in hopes of discovering others in nearby systems. It had grown late into the night and Thera's stories had turned sluggish, stuttered by yawns.

"We'll continue this tomorrow," said Obi-wan as they said their goodnights.

Now as Thera sat among the foliage of the temple gardens, she yawned and refocused her efforts in sketching an enormous Nepodium flower. The surrounding room was magnificent; the tiered levels of the biosphere wound itself around a main waterfall that included dozens of similar pools collecting and creating their own current. Undaunted by the immense height, she settled on one of the upper outcroppings. Far below, one had the advantage of viewing others strolling through the main floor.

The purpose of the room was present in its tranquility. Sunlight streamed through the vines that climbed the framework, and the air was heavy with moisture. In the fragrant atmosphere, Thera sprawled in the tall grass, her sketchbook fanning in the air as she soon fell asleep to the sound of bubbling water.

That was how Obi-wan found her two standard hours later when she didn't make an appearance for the mid-day meal. He had to admit that he was glad Thera had opened up about her homeworld, but he felt he was barely scratching the surface of the topic with her. So as he followed the trail left from her Force signature, he came upon the sight of Thera, sleeping on her side in the shade of a flowering Porpuha tree. The intricate braids in her hair were courtesy of the younglings that had currently taken to her. Flowers had dusted the ground and a finger still placed in the pages of her book. Grey slippers peeked out from the folds of the blue delegates' dress. Now that she was in training, he found that he was surprised that she still wore the dresses. Perhaps they were a comforting reminder of simpler times, he mused.

Next to him, the alcove that made up the level was gently gurgling with the current. He regarded the water, musing how well it reflected the sensation of the Force. It had ebb, flow, speed, and the feelings and colors it gave were so similar to the Force that with sudden reverence he understood the use of the room. Qui-gon had never explained the significance of the sanctuary, leaving yet another mystery for Obi-wan to figure out on his own.

But what if he still needed guidance? Qui-gon had related to him that he had passed along all that he could teach, but Obi-wan found himself in the same predicament as Thera had presented to him; she wanted his honest opinion. Selfishly, he realized that's what he would have asked of Qui-gon.

Obi-wan understood that water was like the Force, but deceptively it also described more; texture, temperature, sound... he knew there was more to the Jedi than the revered code. Even now as he watched a cool fog wisp off the top of the water, he knew emotion was held in it as well. At least, emotion in the Force. And yet it was only unleashed on them; the Jedi to receive.

What would Qui-gon have told him?

'Too figurative, Obi-wan,' he could imagine his Master saying, 'Focus on what the Force is telling you now. It responds to the world around us, cluing us in on anything that may disturb the balance. That we can interpret the Force is a testament to us as Jedi, but the code... it allows us not to run away with our personal interpretation, our own experiences.'

_But what of the Force against itself?_ thought Obi-wan. Was it not also... pliable? He focused for a long while on the pool. Slowly, he raised a hand and concentrated on the theory. The current of the pool came to a stand-still, despite the waterfall nearby. In the center, a dome began to grow out of the surface under the guidance of his hand. Gradually, inch by inch a large sphere rose out of the water and into the glinting sunlight. As the water swirled in the confines of the Force, a gasp came from behind him. So intent on his focus, Obi-wan turned quickly, on the defensive. Behind him the water crashed back into the pool, the waves surging around his boots.

Thera was sitting up, flowers tangled in her braids as she took in the scene, her expression astounded.

Obi-wan relaxed, shaking the water from his boots. "I didn't mean to wake you, I apologize."

Thera was still staring, "Was... was that the first time you tried that?"

"Yes," he dried his hands on his robes and helped her up from the grass. "I suppose I was meditating on the meanings of the Force," her face drew almost level with his, "And of my former master."

Thera retrieved her sketchbook and turned to him, her voice thoughtful; "Will you tell me about Master Jinn?"

He nodded, and they sat on an overlook, their feet dangling in the outgrowing vines of the cliff. Obi-wan told of his padawan years; excursions to Naboo, visiting Master Billaba on Warrenglen, the Jedi commemorations held by grateful planets of the Republic. He talked of Qui-gon's skill with a lightsaber, and how even now he could not shake the dogged technique that was so similar to his Master.

It was there that the stories stopped rather abruptly and Thera did not push further. Out of the corner of her eye as she drew out the landscape below, she could see the standard expression on Obi-wan's face that she had come to know so well; pensive and guarded.

"You loved him," she said quietly, darkening the shadow of her sketch, then putting the book aside. When she looked back to Obi-wan, she found him staring at her, a pained mixture of relief that was contained to his eyes.

"I admit he was the only one I regarded as a father," he conceded, turning his gaze out to the clear Coruscant skyline.

"And he loved you," Thera stated softly. Obi-wan gave a small nod but did not look at her. "Maybe not in words," she continued, "but the stories you tell, he was always there for you. To me, it seems he took it upon himself to make sure that you needn't make the same mistakes he did, unless necessary."

"That's what I wonder," Obi-wan said slowly. "Maybe he didn't allow enough. I find myself under the disillusion many times, more so of what I'm still learning myself. It's a dangerous disadvantage in your training."

"Maybe," she mused, "but I know that you'll be there to help me live through my mistakes."

Obi-wan's eyebrows rose, "Prophetic dreams already?"

Thera didn't return the humor, instead she took his hand in hers, placing a weight on her words. "Is it so hard for you to believe that someone may know you so well? Or care to at least? I believe you'll be there, why isn't that good enough? Maybe you should ask yourself why the Force doesn't portray self-worth, or why the Jedi code can't fathom the coexistance-"

"The code is clear on the teachings that forbid attachment-" his hand slid from her grasp, suddenly feeling self-conscious. The conversation was heading in a direction that unsettled him in more ways than one, all of which he failed to grasp immediately. "And as for your concern of my self-worth, it's not in my pride that I find my placement." In his hurry for defense, Obi-wan instantly regretted the retort.

Thera scowled at the statement. "Of course not," she shot back, "but it seems lost on you that your love for Qui-gon is bittersweet because you've learned that it's too close to _attachment_." She got up from the ledge they were seated on, snatching up her sketchbook while saying, "That was the mistake you never made, at least not while Qui-gon was there for you."

His jaw tensed at the words while watching her stalk off in a whirl of robes, flowers still falling from her hair. He had half a mind to go after her and tell the real reasons of being at war with himself.

Deep inside he did believe that his former master had held love for him that only a father could give, but the Sith that had killed Qui-gon was a reminder of how volatile the power could work against him. A reminder that the code was an enduring pillar of safety within his training.

It was different in regards to Thera. Obi-wan watched her move through the lower levels and finally crossing through the main garden, other Jedi staring after her agitated exit. The problem in his mind was not of his love for Qui-gon, as Thera took it for, but for her and how his late master who was there for him, had now left Obi-wan at the mercy of it. He was at a loss of how to manage it, and the epiphany didn't seem to be coming to him any time soon as it did when he stood at the shore of the waterfall moments earlier.

"Stars' end," he muttered, getting up from the ledge and jogging down the path after Thera.

* * *

It was the first time in awhile that she was angry. It was not an emotion that Thera excelled at; the end results allowing her to do whatever she wanted, damn the results. Blocking out the Force that pushed against her senses, she took the lifts to the main level and headed for the exit. The cavernous foyer of the Jedi temple was still impressive to her, but she longed for something more intimate, something that had character in this planet that seemed to be furnished with nothing more than plastisteel and permacrete.

Considering how few credits she had to her name, she took a public levitaxi down to the lower levels of the cavernous city until she was deposited among the masses that traveled on foot. In the crowds of Coruscant, it was plain that it was an affluent society that benefitted to the close location of the Senate. Still, there was something to be desired of experiencing living beings besides Jedi. Aimlessly she walked, weaving through the grids that bordered the city sectors.

After an hour, the question came to her of exactly what she was looking for. Cantina's were less than favorable at this time of evening, and a female humanoid unescorted began to draw stares from the entourages that grouped around each other. The deep blue of the approaching night reminded her of the oceans of her homeworld. Although she knew the geography of Coruscant was mainly landmass, she sighed, wishing for nothing more than to crest a grassy dune and come upon the roar of the ocean.

Thera recognized the market region that she had attended with Depa, and habitually purchased a paper cone of dried Nexu meat. Walking further on she came to the nearby ampitheatre, busy with the glow of the vendor's and the hum of conversation. The permacrete tiers were well worn from the foot traffic and Thera sank onto the ledge, nibbling absently on the meat. She had underestimated how hard it was to block out the Force entirely, or failed to notice how disorienting it was to be in such a large crowd when her learning had advanced since her last venture out into society.

Her anger of the conversation had long since ebbed and now she sat feeling as though her actions were irrational. The distinction that she was being protected during her training was not lost on her, and yet she felt as if there was no outlet beyond the temple, beyond the ways of a Jedi. It unsettled her. It made her feel...inadaptable. Obi-wan's stubbornness towards their conversation had only aggravated her more. The one person she cared for most in this new life had a penchant for closing off the portal of connection; she felt that if she couldn't speak openly to Obi-wan, then there could be no one else. No other confidant... the thought saddened her immensely.

Over the subtle noise of the square, Thera could hear the distinct crunch of boots against the flagstones. His cloak brushed the ground as he kneeled next to her, considering for a moment before taking a seat. Without looking at him, for the first time Thera was able to detect elements that were distinctly Obi-wan. A smell that was a mix between rain and wood, and as his cloak flowed… nexu leather and Jandaran cottonelle. As a form of peace offering she tilted her paper cone towards him.

She didn't need to look, as she could picture his features as he took a handful of the food and popped a few into his mouth. For once they were outside of the temple, experiencing a normal evening on Coruscant.

The conversation she departed from rose up in her mind and she turned to him fully. "Why did you follow me?"

Obi-wan finished chewing, his features mainly in shadow and his profile illuminated by the market lights. "Many reasons. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that your person could be worth quite a bounty at this point." He continued after seeing the disappointed look in her eye, "But it did also give me the excuse to speak with you further... I feel I left things unsaid, which led you to think the worst of my thoughts."

"I'm listening now," Thera said, and after a moment's consideration, "I'm not going anywhere."

Obi-wan made to stand, looking to the night sky, "This isn't the appropriate place-"

"In what place would it be appropriate?" she countered, her jaw firmly set. "Would you like to set a time as well to tell me things of importance?"

The two looked at each other, a battle fought with eyes. Thera felt the ache of losing a friend again, but the conversation had distracted her against the Force and the emotions now poured out from her. Only at that point did she realize how easily she could be read, and with a sigh of embarrassment she hid her face in her hand.

Obi-wan settled back onto the seat, fully turning to her and his voice came as a low murmur, a soothing contrast against the lively square. "I understand that you may feel isolated, and that past implications have now hindered your exposure to Coruscant, but that won't always be the case. I'm seeing to it that one day soon you may walk through the dirtiest outer-rim planets without concern for your well-being."

In an attentive gesture, he drew her hand away from her face, "And... as for the mistakes I never made, I care for you- too much to allow them to be made against you."

"What mistakes?" Thera asked, exasperated as she stared at him, "Jedi know that they're not infallible. And as you put it, I'm not so... breakable."

He swallowed, seeming to choose his words carefully; "My life as a Jedi, and as a Padawan has never allowed for the bond that exists between us now. Between Qui-gon and I, there was caring… but never so much that it bordered on compassion."

Around them the night had settled, warm and lively as mid-evening approached. Thera thought about his words, a warm flicker within her chest, but unless he was definitely finished she chose not to interrupt.

"Compassion is something that Jedi rarely…use in everyday life," he stated quietly.

"Is that all?" she breathed. Without ceremony, she slowly lifted her arms and encircled his shoulders, pausing before closing the hug. Beneath his robes, Thera could feel muscles tense and then relax slowly over the minutes that passed. She felt him lift his arms and return the embrace, his chin resting next to her forehead so that the ghost of his beard scratched her eyebrows.

"Breathe," she whispered, and if she had opened her eyes, she would have seen the ghostly outline of Obi-wan's ethereal glow.

"See, you're a natural."


	11. Opaline

_AN: Yuck! I hope you like mush, cause there's big piles of it in this chapter._

**

* * *

**

Thera examined the stock room of tarnished droid parts and looked at Obi-wan questioningly.

"See what you can find," he said as he gestured to the room.

It was the following day that she followed Obi-wan to maintenance wing of the Jedi temple. Or at least that what she thought of it as. She only knew from the building's layout grid that droids and ship parts were sent there for repairs.

At first she hadn't the slightest clue what he wanted her to look for, but she walked slowly amongst the shelves, randomly picking pieces that spoke to her. When she came back to Obi-wan, a pile of wires and scraps sat in her hands. To her surprise, he unclipped his lightsaber from his belt and dismantled it in four swift movements. Delicately removing a small panel ring, he added it to Thera's pile.

She immediately understood, and was moved by the small gesture. She looked down at the parts, feeling a little overwhelmed; "I have no idea where to start."

Obi-wan nodded, "It's a large step, I understand. But you're a Jedi and in need of a worthy weapon."

Even as she had painstakingly assembled her own lightsaber over the next few weeks and added Obi-wan's element with a simple flourish, he had seen the nervousness in her eyes as he gave her the final component that he had acquired on Quintarna; a cloudy crystal that had caught his eye in the mining markets.

Granted, he had never seen a crystal as opaline as this one and yet suited for a lightsaber. But as Obi-wan spoke with the vendor, he learned that the deeper the Quintarnan mines went, the stronger the concentration became for the crystals.

The old Twi'lek vendor had nodded sagely as Obi-wan held it up for inspection. "Old, and very strong," he murmured as he placed the crystal onto a magnetic reader. The two looked on as the readouts came through; the high concentration of Eldora and Brandomium were exceptional for a lightsaber crystal, but Obi-wan knew the color was the key.

Even now as she gazed at the crystal in the dim room, Obi-wan was certain of the outcome. She would become a force to be reckoned with, and through the Force he could sense no disturbance, even as she had gasped as their features had been lit with the red glow. It had only been a second as she stared at her lightsaber, a mask of shock as she turned to him.

Her face had crumpled into an expression of failure and fear. He watched as she realized everything that she had left behind and everything that she had trained for, now suddenly was turning back on her with a resounding _No_.

But this wasn't the vision he had seen. Perhaps he was simply wishing that he had done everything right as her mentor. He quickly curled an arm around her shoulders and took her other hand, turning off the lightsaber. "Just a moment."

He stepped away and as deftly has before, he dismantled the piece and examined the crystal as well as the wiring. It was perfect, just as he knew it would be. Obi-wan looked back at Thera, only to see that she was holding herself about the middle, not daring to look at him.

Her voice ground out with absolute sadness as her face flushed; "I made the wrong choice."

He didn't have any words of consolation; he had never encountered anything quite like this, much less heard of such a thing. He reassembled the weapon and slowly walked back to her, but with every step he took, Thera backed away.

"Thera," Obi-wan said quietly as he grabbed her forearm to keep her from retreating. "This was meant for you-"

Her voice was panicked as she deftly twisted away from him, "I know it was - and now it's everything that I've learned not to be! How can I wield such a weapon?"

He gave her a moment to collect her emotions, then placed the lightsaber into her shaking hand. He had no idea what to say, but what came out was; "Thera, it's just a color."

There was a long moment as she stared back at him. Through the hazel, it was easy for him to read that she understood his reasoning- that he wouldn't allow her to become something that she had worked so hard to fight against. But he also saw the hesitation, the sensation that she wasn't sure of herself and the extent of her control.

"What if you're wrong?" she whispered, confirming his readings.

"I have nothing to do with this," Obi-wan said calmly as he tapped the lightsaber. "Destinies only belong to ourselves."

Thera reluctantly gripped the weapon and bit her lip. She made an awkward gesture, as if to give it back to him. "I'm afraid."

"Of what exactly?"

"Too old. Too strong. Too much Force. Too quick. Too much feeling," she gave him an anguished look. "I hear this every day, from you even- though not in those exact words. I've never paid much attention to my doubts... until now."

Obi-wan curled his hands around hers, thinking. "Assumptions, Thera. You know you need only to ask me what I think. As for your lightsaber's color… I've seen the blade change with the mentality of the Jedi. But with you and knowing you so well… I can't think of anything else for you. Through everything that this represents; I can see beyond this and see you. If I can see it, so can others."

Thera took a moment and closed her eyes, letting his words sink in. Obi-wan could sense a hesitant agreement within her, as well as the comfort she took in his presence. It was a moment longer that she studied him quietly.

"I believe you," she said simply. In the dim light of the corner that they had back themselves into, she gave him a weary smile, "You're glowing."

A gravitational pull began to claim Obi-wan as she looked at him. It was beginning to become possible in his mind that the Force was allowing him in, focusing on Thera. He sighed with acceptance, and leaned forward to press a kiss against her forehead.

"Likewise," he said quietly as he took a step backwards with the last part of his mental strength. In the moment that she stole a look down to the glowing gemstones that she still wore, Obi-wan finally was able to pull out of the vortex that was around her. "I'll see you at your testing tomorrow morning. Good night."

* * *

Thera's slim figure stood at attention in the cavernous training area, and Obi-wan walked slowly among the spectators that were forming against the walls of the testing section. He watched intently as he tried to read her force signature; she wasn't nervous, in fact she was sparkling with intense energy as she pulled her hair into a long loose braid, waiting for the exam master to make an entrance.

Normally exams weren't made into such a spectacle, but the news of the color of Thera's blade had not surpassed her skill. In the weeks during the extent of her lightsaber training, Obi-wan had to disperse a few Padawan crowds that had stayed to watch their training sessions. His annoyance grew, but Thera thought nothing of it as she frequently requested new moves, new challenges and he in turn kept a sharp eye at any developing weaknesses. Obi-wan just hoped that he could keep up with the demand.

And apparently he had, as Thera now awaited her practical testing from Master Eliah, with little more than a year to her training. Obi-wan knew too well that many of the padawans were waiting for an indication for her to fall into the role that her lightsaber indicated, and it was only with restrained acceptance of their presence that he nodded encouragement to her inquisitive looks.

He remembered his own testing session and knew of the intensity of the trials. It was up to Master Eliah to find a weakness in Thera and to expose it, if only to see how it was dealt with. She greeted the old master as he entered and the collective tension from the audience of padawans was starting to annoy Obi-wan. He walked through them again, and the crowd settled as Thera handed her weapon over for inspection.

Obi-wan had not informed the council of the status of her lightsaber, for there was nothing in the code of conduct that stated it a necessary evil. But the rumors had flowed quickly, and there was no surprise on Eliah's face as he activated the blade and looked back at Thera. To her credit, Obi-wan watched as Thera returned the gaze passively.

With a sudden movement, Eliah tossed the blade high in the air.

"Second kata, Soresu," he barked. As the red blade arched in the cavernous testing room, Thera sprang forward, catching the hit and seamlessly pin-wheeling the blade in a familiar sequence of the exercise.

"Above offense, Formatu."

Thera adjusted stride, her brow furrowing in concentration and her back arched with the raised height of the blade. It was a few more minutes as Eliah barked katas at her, before he finally stepped in. It was with restrained intensity that Thera had to deflect the master's yellow blade pushing against her own.

Watching closely, Obi-wan could see Thera exercising her defensive, as Eliah hadn't requested anything else. But she was unused to the lightning-fast movements from the master, and she danced and ducked away from the advances, not knowing particularly how to create a defensive without trying to form an offensive strategy.

Eliah soon moved into the defensive and seemed to make note of every movement that she made against him; his multiple eyes focusing on her hand and footwork, rather than her blade. At a vantage point farther from what he was used to, Obi-wan noted the whisper-quick movements that she made. It was true of the female padawans to be more adept in the flow of movements, but watching Thera, Obi-wan found it hard to look away.

The duel had stopped, and Master Eliah was having a quiet conversation with Thera. Eliah suddenly turned back to the crowd, nodding to a Padawan.

"The lights, if you please."

Thera flitted her gaze to Obi-wan as the padawans flattened themselves against the wall. He nodded to her once, before the room went pitch black.

Eliah immediately activated his lightsaber, but Thera's location was unknown. There was a whisper on the mats and the tickle from the Force that released anticipation in Obi-wan. Her red blade suddenly activated- much quicker than normal, probably thanks to Depa's element. She was to the side of Eliah, but his surprise was only momentary and he counteracted quickly. Obi-wan watched with the padawans; the dazzling lightshow of red and yellow as the blades gave a familiar sizzle as they connected. He knew Eliah was testing her reliance of the Force in combat, and he grinned at his Padawan's quick adaptation.

It was awhile before Master Eliah finally had broken through Thera's endurance; her Force barrier slipping. Her thoughts and feelings began to leak, and it was when words began to fill the dark room. Brutal whispers, knowing lies; Obi-wan could not discern any of the words and he could only focus on her labored breathing against the clashes of the weapons.

Through the Force, Obi-wan could feel Thera's desperation to stay focused, despite the damage done. She doubled her efforts on finding Eliah's weakness, but the darkness and the flat terrain gave her no inspiration.

Except for the crowd of Padawans.

Obi-wan watched as she steered Eliah towards the wall that was lined with the apprentices. He could barely restrain a chuckle as they tried to scatter away, only running into the opposing corner of the dark training room. Eliah growled and called the duel to a halt. The lights flickered back on and the Jedi Master glowered at the Padawans.

"And this is precisely why we don't allow spectators. _Out!_ The lot of you!" he said with a flourish of his arm. Obi-wan could see the brief amusement in Thera's eyes as she relaxed her stance and watched the padawans shuffle out.

"Jedi Kenobi, a word please," Eliah said after the last of the padawans had exited. He turned back to Thera, "Padawan Munro, my thanks; you have presented me with a stimulating challenge, something I have not experienced since testing your Master."

"And to you for your time, Master Eliah," replied Thera. She had a sheen of sweat over her features, but she bowed composedly and left the training room, a pleased grin tugging at her lips.

Obi-wan approached the old master, extending a hand in greeting after Eliah had straightened his robes. The firm personality that he presented to the Padawans was now washed away with a sigh. "Well, Kenobi... I suppose I should have the council to thank for pitting me against such a talented Padawan of yours."

Obi-wan bowed in thanks to the elder, "My only regret is not having her train against others. Very few Padawans were at her skill level, and even fewer Knights have the occasion for such an exercise."

"I meant what I said, Obi-wan. She is extraordinary in her technique and she has a style that mirrors your own. My only concern is that she does not unleash it. I feel a hesitancy for her to become one with the Force while engaged in combat. Although it's unique; she's not afraid of it. She's hesitant of how she'll use against others."

Obi-wan nodded, "I suppose the question is how much would you have her use? There are times when she has used it to the point where it renders a lightsaber obsolete."

Eliah raised an eyebrow. "I sensed that in her offensive. At that point it would be up to her, Obi-wan. We would have to trust that she would make the right choice, but also that the choice should never be made alone. I would pass her for skills befitting a Knight, but I believe she still needs your guidance. A Padawan she will still remain, but for the title of Knight, that of course will be the decision of the council."

The two masters walked through the room to the opposite entrance.

"And of the blade?" asked Obi-wan.

Eliah almost snorted. "Surprising, but if you ask the other masters… I think the trademark of the Sith is unfortunately forever enduring in this respect. Nothing describes blind emotion like red. But I sense nothing like this from Thera. She will make a remarkable Knight of the Republic."

"Thank you Master Eliah, it's comforting to hear that coming from you."

Eliah gazed at the young Jedi for a moment. "You are strong in her heart, Obi-wan. She didn't drop her defenses completely, but the connection that I felt between you two is powerful. Be cautious in the future, any adversary would use this against her. And you as well, if you're not careful."

Eliah was right; any enemy would use the advantage against her if they were smart. But in the same instance, the bond between them hummed, and Obi-wan felt the familiar warmth encircle his heart and pull back towards Thera who was most likely back in her quarters.

Indeed, Thera was in her new quarters; she had requested to be put in more permanent area, feeling that the delegate suite seemed a bit extravagant for training Jedi.

_Jedi._ It felt that it was what she essentially was now, whatever title she may formally hold. She took a quick rinse in the washroom and reflected on the testing with Master Eliah. It was admittedly easier than she expected, until she had focused more on defending herself mentally rather than physically.

Eliah's taunting almost pushed her to use the Force to the extreme, if only to control herself. In her mind's eye, she envisioned his throat collapsing when he told her she had abandoned her family. His skull cracked easily as he said she would succumb to the Sith in her eventually. The visions had stopped quite suddenly when Eliah spoke of failing Obi-wan. She recoiled her control with a snap, and spat out the taste of bile in her throat. She was glad that the room had been dark; who knew what sort of expression was on her face.

Thera raked her hand through her damp hair and took in her reflection. Her face was flushed, and the emotion wasn't fading. Not really knowing what she was doing, she walked back into the main room. For a moment she seemingly stood staring blankly at the sparse furniture of the quarters, but she channeled everything- all of the worrisome emotion into the Force.

The solitary table and chairs lifted off the ground first, then followed closely by her music table, and lastly her bed and small dresser. By the time she had acknowledged Obi-wan standing just inside her doorway, the feeling had begun to dissipate.

"Oh!" - and the furniture fell with an enormous clatter. Her long locks fluttered about her shoulders and she stared at Obi-wan in surprise. She hadn't even heard him enter.

"What was that about?" he said as he looked over the room and finally back to her.

Thera sighed and righted a chair with a wave of her hand. Obi-wan's eyebrows rose at the seemingly nonchalant gesture.

"I let my emotions get the best of me. I apologize, Master."

"And what exactly are you apologizing for, besides turning over your room?"

Her expression was surprised, "Excessive use of the Force, for one."

"It's only excessive because you did not use it to your full extent in your testing. You held back. Master Eliah could sense it, and so could I." Obi-wan gestured for her to sit as he set about making a cup of caf for her, as her exertion through the Force suddenly made her eyelids droop.

"I thought it was inappropriate to use, given the circumstances," she said quietly as she sat down.

"And if it was a dire situation, how else would you have handled it?"

She was quiet for a moment as she watched Obi-wan making caff and a cup of tea for himself. Thera felt she had done the right thing; she hadn't sensed any sort of bodily harm willed to her by Master Eliah, but she shuddered at the feelings and visions that had come to her during the duel. How could they ask her to unleash something like that, when she had no idea if she could control it?

"I wouldn't have changed anything, except for brushing up on my Winshun third kata," she murmured.

Obi-wan said nothing as he set the drinks on the small table and sat next to her. He studied her hands as they curled around her cup, and listened to the water that still dripped from her hair onto the paneled flooring. "I suppose we shall soon find out, won't we?"

Thera frowned in confusion and felt the tickle of anticipation in the Force.

"Master Eliah will vouch for your competency to accompany myself on Republic requests."

Obi-wan watched as the information sunk in. Her eyes lit up and her caf forgotten as she grasped his forearm with both hands. The tea slopped in his cup from the contact, but neither of the two noticed.

She searched his face to see if there were any hidden reservations. There were ones of protection that she had always felt with Obi-wan, but beyond that, there were traces of pride and interest; he wanted to see how well she fared and he had no reservations of how well he had trained her since viewing her testing.

The touch jolted Obi-wan internally, and the power of her Force signature raced through her fingers and traveled up the length of his arm into his chest. He waited for Thera's response- the only thing that was able to distract him from the startling sensation that was now flooding through him.

"Suddenly a red lightsaber seems silly," she said. An infectious grin came over her features and once again Obi-wan found himself enclosed in Thera's arms. The surprise of the motion was easier to overcome each time, and he allowed himself to return the gesture.

His time with the Jedi and with Qui-gon never really acknowledged nor allowed the sort of physical contact or emotional attachment. He knew that his old master had loved him, just as he had regarded him as a father. It was something that he had hoped that he would be open about, whenever he was assigned a padawan. He supposed it was frowned upon in the code, as a form of attachment, but after his admittance of compassion for Thera, he found it was different. It was a safety tether that bound them close; it felt concrete, stubborn in her unwavering connection to him.

He thought of how Master Yoda had acknowledged their bond as positive, powerful. The vision of Thera before he left for Quintarna… it burned into his memory and was the image of her that always cropped up in his months away. Thera framed in the sunlight of the hallways, telling him simply that he was everything to her -that she wanted to know his own opinion, no matter how shaded it was.

"Thank you Obi-wan, I owe you everything."


	12. Written

_AN: Insert romantic song here, if only to lessen the smell of the mush. And while you're being generous, ignore my faux scientific savviness._

**

* * *

**

Thera felt out of her element. Granted that she had been aboard other star cruisers before, but none quite as cold and regal as delegate Adavar's. It was the second day within the service of the ship's crew, and Acova had rather needlessly thanked her for her presence as well as the Jedi escort that was to accompany them on the return back to the Oberon system.

Looking down at her plain flight jumpsuit, and she tugged at the sleeves and the high collar. _At least it's not red_, Thera thought grimly as she perused the communications databank. She knew she could never covertly pass herself off as the part of the existing crew, and the council had managed to convince Acova to parade Thera as a new security measure required by the senate. Quickly she had taken to the routine of maintenance shifts servicing the ship as Obi-wan had instructed.

"But what are we looking for?" she had asked in a shaded alcove of the landing bay as they first surveyed the ship.

"Hopefully nothing," Obi-wan supplied. "Let the Force speak to you should something arise, it never fails to make things clear."

She bunked with a few female healers that were stationed to return to Oberon. Human by first glance, Thera concluded that there was something cat-like about their features. Large golden eyes, long thin fingers, and a tendency to stretch a lot… Thera mused that they had lightning quick reflexes and licked their wounds.

Her security clearance wasn't as high as she had expected, something Thera had learned quickly as she tried to access a small branch of the mediward in the left wing of the ship. The slight pull of the Force added an interesting element as she tried her access code again. Thera was staring at the unmoving panel when healer Devandra approached.

"In need of medical attention?" she replied in a voice that mysteriously bordered between mocking and good humor.

"Not personally," Thera replied, her amicable tone reminiscent of Obi-wan in her mind. "I received your stock list. I suppose I was curious of your 'cellular positron inhibitor'. I was surprised of hearing a consulate transport carrying such equipment."

Thera watched for the healer's reaction carefully, but Devandra didn't flinch. On the contrary, she looked bored by the veiled implication; "A lot of good faith is passed between the systems by means of shared knowledge. Due to the wide range of sub-species, the most revered is medical knowledge. Antibodies don't do too well in hyperspace." She cocked her head at the door, "Besides, more often than not, it's just some primordial concoction that they're bringing back as a treat for their peko-peko."

Thera gave a small smile, "Sounds interesting, regardless…"

"I don't have the access, but I can refer the request to healer Nefura." Devandra looked like she was enjoying a private joke; "That is, if the organism can be exposed to artificial gravity."

Thera nodded in thanks, leaving the odd healer to the datapads stacked in her arms. _Referral. Right,_ Thera snorted inwardly. It would be 20 standard hours to reach the Oberon system. More than enough time to examine the medi-ward. Armed with an objective, Thera ducked into a control room and pulled up the ships' schematics.

* * *

It was moments like this that Obi-wan was glad he had so few personal possessions. He watched as the procession of cargo trailed along towards the loading dock. Despite the distance, he could see the grim expression on Thera's face, and did not envy her the time it would take to check the luggage.

This starter mission was comforting in its banality, and was a testament to the lifestyle that normally occurred for the Jedi. Too many times Obi-wan had met others outside of the temple who viewed the Jedi as graceful, noble, eternal. In his padawan days, families would arrive in droves, bringing their younglings to be tested at the temple for the only reason to justify to themselves that their children were talented, special.

Even if a high midi-chloral count was detected, it was the personal integrity that was the real value of the Jedi. Obi-wan saw this value when Thera stood before the council, brazenly calling them out on the poor choice of keeping her in the dark.

_I could have been dangerous._

Obi-wan recalled the sad note in her voice as well. It was plain to him that she had put some form of trust in them, but more so disappointed that they would risk danger to her and to others. That's what Yoda had been waiting for, and it was surely why she was now his Padawan.

It was an odd sight to see Thera by herself and not be near her. Apart only a day and the gravity between them was already pulling back towards normalicy. A trickle of the Force spoke to him as well; they would be heading back to the Oberon system. Her first mission coupled with returning to the area of her captivity. Obi-wan was wary and heeded the warning.

The landing and storage bay of the senate was something of a colossus. It covered several acres and its catwalks cobwebbed to the upper levels with a few executive hangars for visiting dignitaries. Because of the current involvement of the Oberon system with the separatist uprising, Obi-wan had heard of Adavar's impassioned request for security- only an executive hangar would suffice. He had seen a few eyes roll, a few pursed lips, but the senate division allowed it. He later had to agree; it afforded the Jedi an excuse for private surveillance, which seemed to be shaping up in an interesting turnout that Thera was relaying back to him.

He could picture her in the unused upper catwalks, gazing at her favorite skyline while giving a report through the secured comlink.

"Cellular positron inhibitor?" he echoed back, brow furrowing. "Could it be something they intend to sell on one of the checkpoints?"

"It looks new, and a permanent edition to the lab. Do you happen to know of any regulations on transporting medical substances before setting into hyperspace? They claim that it's antibodies, a standard trade that all senators receive at one point during trade federations." Her voice came out low and thoughtful, and Obi-wan found himself holding the comlink close to pick up the faintest nuances in her voice.

"The senatorial region is under diplomatic immunity from the trade regulations of Coruscant," he paused, letting a smile form on the corners of his eyes. "Thera, have you considered just asking Acova?"

"I don't like him, Obi-wan." The admittance at first sounded childish, but her undercurrent of tone stopped his tease. "I can't read him. He has no aura, no presence within the Force. It's disturbing."

"How long has it been since you noticed this?"

"Since the consulates' dinner."

He was quiet for a few moments as he milled the information around. The memory of the dinner had echoed in his mind. Her red dress, the blaze of the Force as it warned him, and the whispered promise from Asajj. Behind him, he could hear the closing of the Senate and the growing volume of jumbled languages that filtered through the halls.

"Are you near a window?" her voice reached his ears again, but this time it was hushed.

"No, why?"

"When you have the chance, come up to bay 159." There was a strange crackle of static from the comlink.

Acova was already approaching him, closely followed by a pair of rather stiff assistants. It would only take him a half hour at the most to debrief the senator. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

* * *

The hangars were nearly empty, as only a few delegates chose to beat the rush of the Senate recess the next day. Obi-wan stepped onto a droid hover lift to reach the higher levels, where the air felt thin and cool. He could hear the makings of a famous Coruscanti storm echoing in the dark corners of the garage. The lights of the upper hangars were off and as the gentle hum of the droid lift rose. The light fell behind him and he freely passed open levels of piping, wiring, and catwalks. A shower of sparks in the distance showed droids performing maintenance on ships, other than that, there was no signs of life.

The walls of the docking bays eventually faded into open framework of metal. As he approached the skeleton of the bay, it was so silent that he heard his cloak rustle and flap in the wind. The ceiling was close enough to distinguish the sound of rain on the roof.

These bays were for the excess amounts of attendees that sometimes flooded the Senate. Even then, they only acted as a storage hold for the ships once the passengers disembarked.

"Over here, Obi-wan."

He had stepped onto the main catwalk; the droid lift obediently puttering back to the lower levels. He waited for his eyes to adjust to the dim light. Near the edge of the building, Thera's outline was perched on a stout crossbeam that spanned the length of the bay. Behind her, the city skyline sprawled on endlessly.

The main element that immediately caught his eye was the enormous purple clouds in the fading twilight. They curled and billowed across the frame of the bay in a fantastic way that no holovid could record. Obi-wan gingerly sat down next to Thera, the sensation of them relaxing into each other's presence was strong.

"Hello," she murmured. In the faint grey of twilight, he saw her grin. She sat with her legs dangling over the edge, her hanging lightsaber clicking rhythmically against the beam.

"Took a chance that you weren't afraid of heights."

Obi-wan peered over the edge of the crossbeam, seeing the tunnel that spiraled back down to the Senate. "You know me too well."

He could sense rather than see Thera reach out and brush her fingers across his forehead. The gesture was simple, then suddenly hesitant, "Did you cut your hair?"

He only nodded, knowing that she could distinguish the movement in the shadow. A pause, and as her hand fell away, a bubble of laughter surprised him.

"You may not know it, but one of the first things I said to you was that short hair suited you better."

Obi-wan smiled as he recalled her pointing to his old profile image; her language in a playful lilt. He stifled a laugh, "Why am I not surprised?"

They passed a few moments in amicable silence, in the distance the grumble of thunder echoed and the temperature from their outlook noticeably dropped.

"It's back," Thera whispered as she sat up straight and narrowed her eyes at the horizon.

"Back?" he asked, suddenly on alert.

"I thought maybe you missed it while in the Senate."

As if to illustrate on cue, the wind whipped a misty rain back at them and a roar of thunder crackled. The city lights dimmed at the threatening storm; Obi-wan knew them all too well from his youngling years. The electrical storms of Coruscant were famous for downing power reserves, destroying ships, and creating sustainable energy for days afterwards if the lightning was harvested correctly.

Flashes of purple and green lit the horizon, but the storms were known to be deceiving in location. Obi-wan signaled for the lift again from his comlink, then turned to Thera. "We can't stay here."

"Obi-wan, it's kilometers away-"

The explosive boom simultaneously illuminated her awestruck face; they were bathed in magenta and took on a surreal look as the sheen of rain covering their skin and clothes made them shine. The framework of the bay rattled in the aftershock.

"Okay, okay," she sighed as she allowed herself to be helped up. They picked their way to one of the main honeycombed platforms, the lightning still flashing brilliantly. Thera's tone was thoughtful as she stole more glances at the oncoming storm.

"Tell me, does Force lightning look anything like this?" she asked, gesturing to the storm then curling her arms over her chest.

Obi-wan dredged up the memory, and was quick to be rid of it. "In appearance yes, but the feeling of it through the Force… it's not something I'd wish upon anyone," he replied as he drew out her cape from the depths of his robe.

She stared at him, the storm chill now beginning to chatter her teeth. "How did you…?"

"I think I know you too well," he countered, his grin shadowed in the dark as he wrapped the cloak around her shoulders. As he glanced at her, he found her face close, her expression a surprising mixture of confusion and apprehension. It was a feeling that he understood the root cause of immediately. Next to the landing, Obi-wan heard the droid platform arrive. Taking her hand, they stepped onto the hovering lift, the machine dipping slightly under their weight as they began to descend.

The lift was small, made mostly for maintenance droids. Thera stood close again, her hand still intertwined in his. As the levels slowly passed by, Obi-wan returned the gaze, openly searching her expression for some form of clarity as to what she was thinking.

Over the months of her time as his Padawan, she had become an element in his immediate Force that would not fade, no matter what the distance. He had realized the connection long before the symptoms had shown, long before Thera had made the connection herself. It was happening now; he felt it roll off her in waves and she was staggered by the powerful realization. All of the implications it held, all of her feelings were like a hushed whisper of an on looking crowd compared to the emotion at the front of her mind, and it spoke to him as clearly as her own voice.

"Obi-wan?" her tone was hushed. The pinks and greens of the lightning allowing him to see the question in her eyes.

Raising a free hand to the side of her face, he asked the same question to himself. He had looked into the will of the Force countless times, and before the sensation was foreign in his solitude, but now they mirrored each other. Now as the wash of emotion flooded from Thera, it blended with his own, complimenting it and strengthening his resolve.

"Yes, I feel the same," he said quietly.

Although it was a statement, it felt more like an agreement between them. As the lift descended, flashes of lightning illuminated their intimate storyboard. So close there was no space between them. The tilt of the head. The closing flutter of eyes. The feel of damp hair and the taste of rainwater. The soft skin of lips and fingertips. The protective curl of arms and the collective sigh that said each had found their gravity. It was quite chaste, the kiss. More of a tentative test that in the end felt to have leaden amounts of meaning. Their heartbeats already ran together, as their bond had fused months before. Flushed cheeks and the swirling of cloaks took shape in the growing light of the lower levels.

A whisper found its way through the dark before it illuminated who had spoken, "No matter what happens, I will always feel the same."

The planet had found the star.


	13. Slowly

_I am overcome_

_What a strange thing you have done_

_From now on my life has changed_

_Nothing now can ever be the same_

- Lamb, Written

* * *

It was chaos in the senatorial hangar, even in the weak hours of morning. It had taken a standard hour to finally get confirmation of Adavar's departure schedule. Now Thera was certainly wishing Acova's crew had the stubbornness to take on the Coruscanti lightstorm the previous night, instead of waiting for this mess. Then she wouldn't be blushing right now, here on the boarding ramp of the senator's vessel.

She had gotten no sleep last night and her mind was going over repercussions; fissures that would form in their friendship, complications with the Jedi code. Thera had almost made up her mind to speak with Depa about it, but she then remembered that it was 0300, Master Billaba was on assignment in Dantooine, and Thera knew that she still needed to speak to Obi-wan most of all.

Without fail at the mentioning of his name, she flashed back to the smell of the rain and the sensation she received when she came to her own personal epiphany. The way he recognized it in her only told that he had been aware of it himself for quite some time.

But for how long? Never had she dreamed that he would act upon it (or how good it felt, causing her blush to deepen), or how natural it was for her to respond. A thousand times in her minds' eye he had leaned over the short distance, touched the soft skin of her neck. She had instinctively exhaled and her rational thoughts had frozen. Obi-wan's aura was now brighter than she had ever seen it. Her muscles unwound and no resistance, no uncertainty reached them through the Force. It was her biggest question before letting herself go.

In the moment before her eyes fluttered closed, Thera saw an infinitesimal pause in Obi-wan's eyes. She was not disappointed when his lips diverted and kissed her cheek, the faintest touch on the corner of her mouth. In fact she found it distinctly Obi-wan. He was protecting her; that was what she finally understood after hours of deliberation. It was the danger of youth, the acknowledgement of the galaxy they lived in. It was by all means a reminder of the lives they had chosen.

_Very Obi-wan,_ she thought, admiring his self-control. Other times, when the cages in her mind rattled, she reminded herself the embrace, the Force and his heartbeat pulsed in her ear, and Thera only felt like sinking further. She was then only vaguely aware of the feather-light kisses at her crown, and the calming brush of his hand at her hair.

"No matter what happens, I will always feel the same," he whispered at her hairline.

It was then that her thoughts turned to turmoil and her thoughts shouted back. As the lift reached the main level, Obi-wan sensed her sudden shift in emotion.

"Slowly," he said as he let go of her grasp that had been connected since the upper catwalks. It had taken a moment for Thera to understand, but then Obi-wan had been a Jedi all of his life, and she had only just begun. It was then she understood the enormity of the decisions they were soon to make.

_Slowly_, her mind had agreed, and then watched him step off the lift to return to the dark service lifts of the senate.

Just as the picture closed in her mind, the senator's entourage came around the starboard wing of the vessel. Thera forced her narrowed eyes to retract before the senator caught her gaze. The entourage of aides stopped short with him, but he waved them on with his layered robes.

Thera relaxed her stance and formed her voice to melt like honey, already knowing its end effect. "Senator Adavar, a pleasure it is to travel with a familiar face."

Acova's eyes nearly glazed over and a flustered grin took over his face. "Jedi Munro," he nodded, "The months have been favorable to you since last I've had the pleasure of your company. I was terrified at the news my staff had given during the dinner. I trust you received my condolences for subjecting you to such an experience?"

Acova was referring to the excessive amount of gifts that she had received after her first stay in the mediward. Extravagant brocades, sashes, and gaudy Oberonian headdresses that Obi-wan openly chuckled at. She had immediately dumped them into her old wardrobe, waiting for the next delegate guest to make better use of them.

"Yes, I did. They were much too generous, sir."

Acova gave a distracted wave from the comment. "Nonsense, it was the most I could do since I was unable to apologize in person. An action that I deeply regret."

Thera tamped down her exasperation and angled the conversation towards her real concern, or so she made it seem; "Senator, a possible breach in security is making itself apparent with the ship's operating grid. Jedi Kenobi has seen this sort of thing before; an indication that a tracking device has been planted on the ship."

Acova frowned, "The Republic routes are available to anyone who wishes to ask. Even then, it's no secret that we are planning a return to Oberon."

"True," she agreed, "but many of these devices double as a virus to com networks. We may not be able to communicate with the Republic should the ship come under assault. Surely we needn't take the risk?"

The senator nodded, suddenly looking sheepish. "Of course, you are right Jedi Munro… these are my faults; asking for assistance and then choosing to ignore it." Adavar paused and said in a more congenial tone, "What is it that you require?"

"Operational access codes. It will allow us to look over the circuitry of the vessel. We would be able to sweep the ship and still be able to depart on schedule."

Adavar nodded, looking content, but Thera was still unsettled that she could not detect his Force signature. "You shall have it," he said while gesturing to one of his aides, then giving a theatrical sigh. "Please excuse me, a senator's work is never done."

As Thera received the codes from a rather put-off aide, she turned to see Obi-wan observing her from the port side fuselage with an amused expression on his features.

"You should have just used the Jedi mind-trick and put him out of his misery," he said when the aide had returned to the ship.

Instantly her inner walls went up and she fought against the blush that threatened to rush to her cheeks. Surprisingly her voice came out calm; "I believe it was you who suggested to just ask him."

Obi-wan grinned as he stepped closer, "I did, didn't I? But I don't believe I said anything about a possible tracking device."

Thera cocked her head, examining the new access codes. "No, but you did mention a Jedi's prerogative may involve intentional subterfuge."

"I said no such thing."

At his mock indignance, Thera's grin split into a full smile and she had to tamp down a laugh. It was his intention to put her at ease, and she mentally thanked him for it. It told her that no matter what came between them, her best interests were always at heart. All of the questions that had formed in her mind were carefully placed on a shelf. They would have time to address it later.

She motioned towards the ship, "Care to join me on the sweep?"

* * *

While accessing the ships' mainframe she was suddenly glad that Obi-wan's expertise was close at hand. The programs were complex and some of the framework was encrypted. As he did a cursory search, Thera took note of the data for accessing the mediward storage and committed it to memory. She paused in question as Obi-wan examined com transmissions within the ship.

"You go on," he said as he momentarily tore his eyes from the screens, "I need to piece together something else here."

The ship was quite large, accommodating 100 passengers and crew at maximum capacity. It was subtly furnished, but despite the profits befitting the Oberon system, the ship was well worn. The medistaff were checking in with the ships' flight command. Thera knew she could rely on Obi-wan to stall the crew, but she discreetly slipped into the wards' main hold. Approaching the secured laboratory of the ward, she had to admit she was impressed. Of her experience with the Jedi mediward, she was under the impression that they held the latest technology. Now, looking at the gleaming, custom constructed machinery of the cellular positron inhibitor, she felt that she might be making a mistake.

_Based on what? A hunch?_ She frowned and dialed the access code; the latches of the panels opening with a pneumonic hiss.

For a while she stood, staring at the contents, just to be sure in her mind they were what she suspected.

In the bow of the ship where Obi-wan was conversing with the ops crew, his comlink chirped.


	14. Evidence

After the release of the droid back to the Jedi temple, Thera felt her senses heighten towards every nuance in the ship. Although she had ducked into a washroom to compose her features in the mirror, it was hard for her to ignore the pressure against her heart. It threatened to crumple her composure, exposing her vulnerability and Obi-wan to the rest of the crew.

But who of the crew knew what kind of monstrous cargo they were carrying? Surely not all of them, she thought. Could it be just like the healer said? That they hardly knew what they were carrying most of the time in the mediward? For the innocence of those she hoped to know as friends, she hoped so.

It was later when she rejoined Obi-wan on the command deck, shadowing his side as any padawan learner would. She rifled through her emotions as she would a deck of cards; only observing them briefly before making them settle into a pile. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him raise an appraising eyebrow. Thera struggled to focus on the menial details of the hyperspace procedure, but her thoughts were constantly interrupted by outside sensations that were bombarding her.

Of all times, Obi-wan's proximity was now beginning to get the better of her. Thera closed her eyes against the trail of stars that indicated they made the jump to hyperspace. She tried to breathe through her mouth to erase the watery and wooden scent that was Obi-wan, but she could not numb the sensation that pushed against her skin. Warm and languid, reassuring and suddenly _there,_ she gritted her teeth as the sensation slowly crept up her shoulders and neck.

Thera's breathing hitched slightly, opening her eyes to see the busy command deck, only to look back to Obi-wan. He was returning the gaze and as she scrutinized his expression, she saw that his eyes had deepened in color with concern.

"Excuse me," she whispered and exited the main deck, making towards the stern section of the ship. _Damn hyperspace_, she thought as she entered the mess lounge. That was the only explanation for it, and certainly something that she chose not to relate to Obi-wan about, considering that she battling the possibility that the sensation was coming from him. She settled herself in a chair facing the viewing portals, hoping to clear her mind. It was disconcerting to her; the hum of the Force that was now at the forefront.

As the ship traveled through hyperspace, closer with every passing moment to their destination, the Force ignited within her. Pushing, pulling, strumming, hinting, lighting. It wasn't so much an answer in words, but a sensation that was on the wind; that suddenly felt right to her. One that she wanted to lock away in her memory forever.

The metal tang of frost in the air.

A smooth gliding movement that mirrored a connection with the Force.

Red against white.

The roar of wind.

The twisting of metal.

A power unleashed; one that she had been holding back.

Thera pulled out of her meditation to see the ship disengage from hyperspace, and watched as the Oberon system glittered in the distance against the striking backdrop of the distant center of the galaxy.


	15. Confidants

_AN: Apologies if this is OOC, I noticed a bit of Mulder/Scully projection._

* * *

When she returned to the main command deck, it looked as if Obi-wan hadn't moved an inch despite the three standard hours they had been in hyperspace. She took in the relieved air of the environment, puzzled as to the emotions of the crew. She only nodded to Obi-wan's concerned gaze and stood by his side again, as though she never left.

"Anything to report?" he asked quietly as they watched the crew disperse and the next shift take over.

Thera wanted to smile at the double-edged question, "Every thing is under control, Master."

Obi-wan only nodded, letting his gaze sweep the command deck again before turning to her, "I'm glad you're here, there has been some evidence of a reported malfunction with the communication transmitters. Take a droid with you and see if it's something you can confirm."

And then he blinked.

Thera took a moment to process the request, her instinct shuffling around the words of the command; _confirm that the droid communicated the evidence... with the council._

"Yes Master," she replied as she turned on her heel, vaguely reminiscing that had been a long time since she had given him the title.

* * *

In the storage hold, Thera activated a com unit as Obi-wan had showed her. With it, she relayed the signal of the droid and found that it had indeed reached Coruscant. Before she could give the command request to speak with a council member, the holovid began to take shape within the shadows of the storage bay. Thera quickly closed the door hatch with a wave of her hand, then turned fully to the image of the council.

"An important find you have, Padawan Munro," came the crackling voice of Master Yoda.

Thera clasped her hands in front of her and bowed in greeting, "Apologies, Master Kenobi is with the Oberon crew. He requested guidance from the council after review of this new evidence."

"This was found on Adavar's ship?" came Master Windu's sharp voice.

"Yes, in a container within the mediward. I questioned the healers before the discovery, but there was no recognition towards what they were transporting."

Yoda's ears drooped as he examined the orb. "Testing, we need not. Of the missing padawans, this belongs."

Windu's mouth was set in a grim line, "Tell Obi-wan to speak with delegate Adavar about this discovery. The council senses an ignorance from him towards this trafficking, but he may know more."

Thera nodded and waited, sensing more from the council. There was a moment's silence before Master Yoda gestured to her.

"From you, great connection we have sensed in the Force. Present and future."

Thera was only slightly surprised; "Yes, since our arrival within the Oberon system, I've felt a stronger connection with the Force- more so than I have experienced before."

"Confided in Kenobi, have you?"

"No Master Yoda, not yet."

Through the grainy holovid, she could barely discern the narrowing of Yoda's eyes, "Make time your Master will, to hear of this. Lightly, do not take it. No other test will you encounter, such as your immediate future. Too soon for these to be your trials, Padawan. Still, darkness close at hand. "

Thera was dumbstruck; the trials? Leave it to the council to give her the right sense of foreboding. She refocused her thoughts, not letting her voice betray her inner turmoil, "I understand. I will relay this back to Master Kenobi."

With a bow she watched as the image flickered out, leaving her in the shadows of the cargo bay. She used the opportunity to come to terms with the situation. Breathing deeply in the dark, she could feel the comforting presence of Obi-wan approaching the storage hangar. Oberon… and what had the Force told her? The next step; it was soon approaching. But was this really what it meant?

* * *

The look on Obi-wan's face when she related the council's request him in the storage hold, she would have thought comical if it wasn't for the terrible circumstances they now found themselves dealing with.

He swallowed, "I sensed that was the case."

Thera folded her arms in front of her and continued, "There's something else. I wouldn't go through this if I didn't feel ready. But since our arrival in the Oberon system, my connection to the Force is increasing. It still is."

Obi-wan's eyebrows shot up, "Describe it."

Thera pursed her lips in thought, her eyes traveling the room. "Everything is saturated... like colors from paint that haven't dried, and solids are made out of clay…poliform." Her gaze traveled over him, a comforted smile on her lips, "Except you, you're still tangible. Always a constant."

Obi-wan stepped close, thinking for a moment as he studied her face. "The council is right, this will be a great challenge for you. But don't forget to use your own intuition as well. There's a reason why the Jedi mainly operate in pairs."

"Is this another biased opinion?"

"You asked for it."

Contented smiles spread over their features and after enjoying their private moment, Obi-wan led her back into the main corridors of the ship to search out Acova.

* * *

Acova Adavar was prickling with uncertainty, that much could be plainly seen as Obi-wan questioned the delegate in the now empty mediward. Thera had been given the pleasure of escorting the healers out, and now she stood like a shadow against the wall as Obi-wan leveled a grim stare at Acova. The delegate shifted uncomfortably in his robes, his pinched face taking on more lines by the minute.

"So you understand our suspicion for finding such cargo on your vessel."

Acova voice had taken on a hushed hysteria, a look of terror on his features as he heard the description of what was inside the positron inhibitor. "Indeed, Jedi Kenobi! But I am uncomfortable with such an insinuation. If my healers did not know of it, then I have no intention of knowing it myself! I trust my staff-"

"Then you wouldn't mind if we went through the rest of your cargo manifest then..." Obi-wan let the statement hang, and Acova's facade subtly broke.

His voice was a whisper as he opened his shaky hands in supplication, his eyes darting between him and Thera. "Please understand, the rogue operations and separatist cells have been here for years... we had no regulation over them in the outer planets and no reason to. We had hoped the Jedi would discover them when you and Master Windu were requested to meet with the trade emissary on behalf of the senate."

Thera asked quietly, "Then you knew nothing of a Sith residing in your system?"

The shock on the delegate's face was proof enough, but Obi-wan cast a warning glance towards her. She could tell what he was expecting; for the anger to boil over and for revenge to take seed. She had the feeling at the start, but the anger faded in the background, her body humming with a delightful sort of anticipation. Her muscles strained as her blood coursed through them, her stance tightening for a spring. Thera sighed, closing her eyes as she fought against the pull for the time-being.

She had tuned out the interrogation for a few moments to collect herself, pulling back only when Acova seemed to have presented a solution; "...cargo transported with us is largely via request for the senate and interested parties of Coruscant... keeps up relations, s-same time as keeping revenue flowing."

Obi-wan leveled another hard look at the delegate, "When would these 'interested parties' be picking up their cargo?"

"Public access to transported goods is everyday at 1600," replied Acova, as if he had been deflated. "You must understand, I had no idea of a _Sith _on Molgolvale- Jedi Munro, please believe me-"

Obi-wan stepped in front of Acova's line of sight, "You may return to your chambers, Delegate Adavar. We'll see to it that you and your party make it safely to Oberon."

The delegate seemed to shrink within his robes, and cast fleeting glances to Thera over Obi-wan's shoulder. Although she could sense his remorse was genuine, she did not offer up any words of consolation and merely stepped aside as Acova exited the mediward.

"I sense there is more to this," Thera murmured as she closed the positron inhibitor.

Obi-wan folded his arms over his chest, a frown creasing his features, "I do as well, but this is our immediate concern. We'll be cutting it thin to arrive by 1600. I don't fancy spending another standard day on Oberon."

"Why?"

He pulled on his cloak. "Oh, I don't want to spoil it."


	16. Cold Space

Through standard education on her homeworld, Thera understood that outer space was cold. She had even lived in a cold climate most of her past life. From the temperate skies of Coruscant to the tropical forests of Warrenglen, they had been a welcome change. She had experienced almost two years of continual summer. Now as she stood with Obi-wan in the storage bay of the starcraft, she watched as the loading ramp unfolded and settled upon a glittering tarmac of ice.

The distant sun of Oberon was currently setting in the early evening, and the healers had briefed her that there were laws in place about going outside beyond an hour after sunset. Thera figured it was just a curfew, but the frost that covered the landing platform crunched underfoot, and the air that bit the inside of her lungs told her that it could get quite cold at night. The precaution was for exposure.

Obi-wan escorted Adavar off the platform and towards the reception speeders. Even at a distance, Thera could see the embarrassment in the delegate's face. Watching the convoy depart, Thera pulled her cape about her shoulders. She was still trying to pull on a tight pair of gloves when Obi-wan came back.

"I hope you're interested in more gifts, because I'm sure Acova will send a freight load by the time we return to Coruscant. Would you like to know how many times he asked for forgiveness?"

"I'd rather not think about that man any more," she replied as her breath came out in puffs of clouded air.

Obi-wan only nodded at the comment, turning towards the storage hangar of the transport service building they had landed at. "Parcel pickup is already open, so I imagine our interested party is waiting." From the folds of his robe, he produced a small tracking device and slipped it into her palm, "See if you can spot their transport. Don't worry about the cargo; we need to find the holding location. We're at a bit of a disadvantage at this time of day."

Thera pocketed the tracker, "Shouldn't we be targeting the origin? The cargo came _from_ Coruscant."

"Not necessarily," he said as the rest of the crew began to disembark from the ship. "There's no record of when it was added to the cargo manifest. The transmissions that the ship was sending allowed for it to be tracked on this flight only, but our main concern is finding out where this is going; hopefully its origins are something that will show themselves as well."

Thera recalled her earlier conversation, "Devandra mentioned that the healer Nefura was the only one who had the access codes for that part of the mediward."

Obi-wan's eyes snapped onto hers, "That may be something. But then again department heads are allowed access codes as a formality." He squinted at the horizon, looking over the sharp mountains that made up the basin in which the capital was located. "I'll ask delegate Adavar to keep an eye on her."

Thera looked surprised. "Should we be trusting him with something like this?"

"Adavar sorely wants to redeem himself. He'll do it for us."

Thera nodded, her stomach tightening. Through their bond, Obi-wan felt that her mental walls were down completely, and her thoughts were in overdrive as she tried to solve their current situation.

He took a step closer and settled a hand on her shoulder, giving her a concerned look. "Focus on the Force. There is nothing unknown when you open yourself up to it completely."

The warmth of his fingers seeped through her cloak and Thera was able to concentrate. She sighed, extending her focus to the nearby cargo bay and felt it; a faint shadow of misdeeds. And it was slowly growing stronger.

Opening her eyes, a feral grin took over her features; "Our songbird approaches."

* * *

Deep in the shadows of the cargo bay, Thera watched speeders come and go, species indiscernible by the frost that covered their clothes and goggles. Then she saw it; a strange tri-ski glider that rumbled into the bay, its Rhodian driver stepping off and making a beeline towards the pickup hold. She was about to leave her hiding place when she noticed a second Rhodian that was already parked, surveying the rest of the area.

_They work in pairs- of course they work in pairs!_ She berated herself for nearly forgetting her training. She had to place the tracker before the Rhodian came back, and this onlooker would be sure to spot her.

Thera focused on the second speeder, and raised an eyebrow as an idea came to her. With all of her concentration, she reached out through the Force and grasped the mainframe of the speeder. With a mental jerk, she tore away and with it the wiring of the craft popped; a handful of stringed tubing spraying the Rhodian. The alien let out a cry of disgust and jumped off, frantically trying to stem the fluids that were now leaking from the speeder.

Thera ran over and popped the latch of the abandoned craft and tacked the tracker to the underside of the paneling. Back in her hiding place, she watched as the Rhodian returned and gave a brief glance towards his partner's speeder, which was still spewing fluids. He loaded up the cargo, which was now no bigger than a haversack, and sped off into the distant snowy mountains.

Thera brought the comlink to her lips, "A Rhodian, Master. He just left."

"And his partner?"

"He's having some speeder trouble," she said with a grin, and slipped out the side of the cargo bay.

"Good to hear. We have transports, when you're ready."

Thera followed the bond that tethered her to Obi-wan's Force signature and into another hangar. Across the spaceport was Obi-wan, standing next to two rusty surface speeders. As she approached, she could see his cloak billowing out behind him while he calibrated the steering on one. He turned to her, his hood up, a pair of goggles perched on his forehead and an extremely out of place scarf protecting his neckline.

"Oberion models," Obi-wan said as she stood next to him. "Fast enough, but they're only designed for one person. Easy enough to operate."

Thera raised an eyebrow as she recognized the familiar design, "You make it sound as if I've never driven one of these before."

"I think we can both agree that these are different circumstances," he replied amicably.

She grinned and pulled her hood up, jumping onto the speeder. "After you."

* * *

Obi-wan harbored a grudging respect for land-cruisers. Regardless, he would have preferred something with legs… or wheels for that matter, but on this terrain none of those made sense. The sun was low on the Oberon skyline and he pressed the speeder faster across the snowy landscape. They had a close lead on the Rhodian, but he didn't want to take chances in this environment and twilight soon approaching. As the snow churned up behind him, Obi-wan glanced over his shoulder to see how Thera was fairing.

At first he thought he had lost her through the hilly terrain, but against the orange sky, her cruiser flew over a modest hillock and soared through the air. Obi-wan watched as she landed the craft; it groaned under the pressure of flight and fishtailed before speeding off again. Thera zigzagged behind his speeder and then finally drew parallel; a broad smile underneath her frosted goggles.

"Stars' end," he muttered as he shook his head and rechecked the coordinates of the tracker. Acova had told him the settlements at the base of the Pylene range were mainly for spice traders and refugees, but Obi-wan knew it was just another hotbed for acquiring restricted materials. On his comlink, the steady signal of the tracker showed the Rhodian approaching a camp, its pulse suddenly stagnant.

As they approached the settlements, Thera could see the poverty that pervaded the outer camps. She was surprised that creatures were able to live in the frozen conditions that were now creeping over the evening atmosphere.

The biting cold had long since numbed her nose, and she had been sparing her concentration into the Force to keep her body warm. She piloted behind Obi-wan as they rounded a low building that looked to have been mortared in the past decade. In an alley that was half mountainside, half duracrete; her eyes narrowed at the abandoned speeder and the numerous rickety back stairways that led indoors.

"Make sure he doesn't double back," Obi-wan said as he dismounted and made his way towards the stairwell.

Thera only nodded as she retraced her tracks around the structure and parked the speeder alongside the immediate building. She considered the entrance for a moment, then looking down the promenade that was now nearly deserted, she opted for a better vantage point.

She concentrated on the Force around her and under her feet. She sprung upward, easily overtaking the building, and landed lithely on the snow-encrusted roof. From here she had both vantage points and could watch for anything, because she had heard the undercurrent of Obi-wan's command;

_Expect him to run._


	17. Twilight

Obi-wan listened to the conversations of the rooms through the thin walls. There was little life within the building, and it wasn't long before he paused outside a flat on the third floor.

"That's not what we agreed on."

"Check my transmissions with her if you wish. That _is_ the price that we agreed on. I should remind you, that your part in this is only as a courier."

A hard silence followed, and Obi-wan rested his hand upon his lightsaber.

"Very well. Let's have a look at the transmission then."

The noise of a holovid reached his ears through the wall, and an unmistakable female voice barked out, "What is it this time?"

"Your man?" came the second voice. Obi-wan was momentarily confused; it didn't sound like a recording at all. A wave of tension from the room hit him through the Force.

"Yes," replied Asajj, distain filtering through her accent. "You know what to do."

"What! Wait- I delivered as promised!" came the Rhodian's bewildered voice.

It was just the moment that Obi-wan had been anticipating. Inside he could hear the negotiator ignoring the protests of the Rhodian as he ended the transmission. Kicking in the door, his lightsaber already ignited, he found himself a fraction of a second too late.

The negotiator was a humanoid, but deceptively tall for a female and had already fired off a blaster at the Rhodian. The close range fire killed him instantly, and Obi-wan was on the defensive as she recovered from her surprise and continued fire.

It was the same disturbance in the Force that he felt when the droidekas had breached his quarters as the female snatched up the satchel the Rhoidan had dumped on the table. Obi-wan couldn't focus on the Force and felt himself relying on blind instinct as his opponent fired off a few more blasts and dove headfirst out a window.

Obi-wan watched grimly as she took off while looking over her shoulder, her boots churning up snow as she headed for a paddock of snow speeders. He brought the comlink to his lips as he ran towards the back of the building.

"Thera-"

The roar of an engine over the tiny speaker nearly drowned out her voice, "The woman that just jumped out of the third floor window? I'm on it."

Obi-wan stared at his comlink for a moment after he jumped on the speeder. Then; "I'll be right behind you."

* * *

Landing she found, was a bit harder than jumping as Thera straddled the speeder and punched it to life. She pulled back the throttle and kept her eye on the woman that was now disappearing between the buildings of the settlement.

To say that she had a head start on this new opponent was an understatement. Thera fishtailed her speeder around a turn and found herself eating the churned up snow from the craft in front of her. Over the spray, she could see the woman had no protective clothing against the oncoming night of Oberon. Either she was heading back towards the capital, or she was of a hardier species. Thera wasn't counting on the latter. Whatever the case, her opponents' speeder was faster on flat terrain, and she knew she would have to stop her before reaching a clear stretch; the woman wasn't that skilled with handling the craft in the narrow alleyways of the settlement.

Thera ducked as a blaster shot was fired over the driver's shoulder. She frowned as she realized she wasn't concentrating on the immediate Force around the woman, but it was then that she noticed the knapsack that the Rhodian was carrying before. It was slung over the woman's back and whipped as they made another hairpin turn.

One thing that the midichlorial orbs could not block out was her bond with Obi-wan. She sensed him coming dangerously close around the next encampment, aiming for a cutoff.

As she eased off the throttle his speeder burst into view, taking the woman by surprise. He ignited his lightsaber, deflecting a few of her blaster shots as he drew parallel.

Thera's speeder began to shudder at the velocity they were racing along at. Obi-wan was drawing the woman's concentration, and it was then she saw the opportunity. In one swift motion, she leapt from the speeder and onto the other craft.

In the course of two seconds, she had landed on the front of the speeder and ignited her lightsaber, the woman had successfully blown out Obi-wan's engine, and Thera had snapped her wrist; her weapon pinwheeling easily through the clutch and the blaster that the woman held.

Thera gritted her teeth as the speeder accelerated, the motion slamming her against the frosted windscreen. In her peripheral vision, she could see Obi-wan jump free of his speeder, moments before it buried itself in a hillock.

Face to face with the driver, she saw the woman was hardly older than her. Her face was white due to the icy wind, her short black hair whipping about. She had the look of utter desperation as she reclaimed the steering and led them under a low bridge.

As she flattened herself against the engine, she reached forward and gripped the woman's vest, knocking her unconscious against the dash of the speeder. When her grip left the steering, Thera felt the craft list sideways and in the shadow of the oncoming hill, she instinctively braced against the impact.

* * *

Obi-wan cranked the throttle on Thera's abandoned speeder until the acrid smell of exhaust nearly made him choke. He crested another drift and in the fading twilight he could see the distinct shadow of a speeder embedded into a snowbank. Next to it, were two huddled figures, and a great deal of something else on the ground.

Obi-wan jumped from the craft before it had stopped completely, "Thera!"

As he ran over, he could see the dark red stains in the snow, his breath nearly catching.

"Its alright, she's just unconscious," came Thera's voice as she stood up slowly. Her neck and a good portion of her flight suit was soaked with blood.

Obi-wan rushed forward, speaking before he examined her closely. "You're injured."

She shook her head as if trying to clear her thoughts, clipping her lightsaber back onto her belt. "No, the orbs… A few broke on impact."

He surveyed the ghastly image that was in front of him; a blood-soaked and dazed padawan. Was this something that he could face in the future when it was real? For a moment he was tense with the sickening thought of it. Thera took a step closer to examine him in the fading light.

"Obi-wan," she said quietly while lifting a hand to his face. When she saw it was covered with blood, she dropped it. "We have to get back quickly."

He blinked, shaking himself. The temperature had dropped even more, and he felt his hands already going numb around his iron grip on his lightsaber. He started over to the unconscious woman and Thera picked up the haversack, following him back to the speeder.

Wordlessly she watched as Obi-wan applied plastistrips to the woman's wrists and wedged her between the spoiler of the speeder. Thera climbed on after him, pressing her face into his back as the wind whipped past and they headed back towards the lights of the capital.

The trip seemed longer than previously and Thera had to clamp her mouth shut to keep her teeth from chattering. She concentrated on the Force and set about focusing on spreading warmth through her body. It started slowly, emanating from her core and then down into her limbs. She curled an arm around Obi-wan and focused, pushing the sensation on him through their bond.

As they approached the glowing lights of the Oberon capital, the temperature dropped to a bone chilling degree.


	18. Switchback

Her body felt numb and her face felt like putty. She poked at it experimentally as they re-entered the hangar, gaining a few stares because of their unconscious and partially frozen cargo. Frost had nearly welded them to the speeder, but a gaggle of Adavar's aides where now surging towards them, holding out blankets and spotwarmers. Obi-wan offered his hand and lead her to the convoy.

Thera felt mentally fused to Obi-wan; her connection to him strong and sustained through the course of their journey. She was jolted at how strange it was not to keep a constant connection with him; that she was loathed to drop his hand. She had to assure an approaching healer that she was not injured, despite the blood. They watched one of the ship healers begin to attend to their new suspect.

"Master Kenobi, quarters have been arranged for you and Jedi Munro by the senator. Please follow me," stated another aide.

Obi-wan only grimly nodded and kept the firm grip on Thera as they followed. As they travelled to the capital and the accommodation, she slowly disconnected her mental grip. His thoughts were like a strange sort of churning sea, almost like a raging fire behind a thick door. She didn't know what to make of it, but more so chose not to focus on figuring it out.

The acrid smell of blood coming out of its frozen state made her grimace, and she took care not to touch her robes. They rode the lifts that were now taking them up to Acova's assuredly extravagant quarters.

Shaking herself from a daze, she realized that she stood in the foyer of one of the suites. Obi-wan was turning to her, gesturing for the aides to be on their way. Thera had to focus to keep the room in her vision, vaguely noticing that her hearing began to go in and out.

"Focus Padawan," Obi-wan murmured as his hand finally detached from hers, only to frame her face. "Too long of a strong connection with the Force will make you disoriented."

Thera focused on the touch and sank into it. "I'm fine," she said after a few moments of collecting herself.

Opening her eyes, she looked at Obi-wan questioningly. He only nodded in return, dropping his gaze as he motioned to the vanity and the standard washroom beyond. "When you're finished, meet me in the medilab. We'll have a talk with our new informant."

Thera watched him leave quietly, seeing the blood that had stained the cuffs of his cloak from where her tech jumpsuit had made contact. She gritted her teeth as the smell attacked her again.

She washed quickly, wishing that the suite somehow had an incinerator for the bloody jumpsuit. Instead, she left it in the shower to drain. Pulling on her old outfit, she sighed as she became comfortable in her own skin again. Blood was one thing, but another Jedi's blood disturbed her even more. It clung to her psyche, and made her all the more hardened to find them.

She was still braiding her long wet hair when she caught up with Obi-wan in the medilab. Half expecting to see him speaking with a healer, Thera instead took in the sight of a slouching, blue-skinned Chiss that was analyzing a data monitor. They both stood out starkly in the clinically white laboratory.

"And the other Rhodian?" asked Obi-wan as he looked over the man's shoulder.

"It was brought in for questioning, but gave the same story; he was a courier. Him and his partner had their own trade routes."

"Trade routes on a place like Oberon?"

"They cover the entire system, actually." The Chiss noticed Thera approaching, and gave her a nod in welcome. "Good evening. Welcome to our humble glacier." Thera heard the good humor in his voice, but it took a moment for her to look past his intense red eyes to see the friendly smile.

Obi-wan turned fully to look at her while giving the introductions. "Kessl was the contact for Master Windu and I when we first responded to the requests of Acova." Obi-wan let slip a roguish grin, "I daresay he's the most competent spatial engineer in this system."

"That's old hat," huffed Kessl as he shrugged off the comment. "I'm a planning advisor to the senator now."

"I take it you heard what we were talking about," asked Obi-wan. When Thera nodded, he continued; "We have no leads with the couriers. I was just about to see if the healers had finished with a one Dimista Clar Avan." Obi-wan handed her a datapad with the woman's dossier, "Kessl was able to pull this up from the ship's communication database, and it just so happens that our detainee is the source of the encrypted incoming transmissions."

Thera looked up in surprise. "So there _is_ someone on the crew that knows about this."

"Not exactly," said Obi-wan as he folded his arms. "Remember that Senator Adavar said a great deal of the inventory was never recorded, as long as there was a payment for the transport. It's quite possible that someone knew about their lax security and took advantage of it. It wouldn't take much more than a substantial payment to have the senator's vessel carry the cargo and encrypted messages without question. It looks like Dimista knew what to look for, in this case a positron inhibitor."

"But why Oberon?"

"There are separatists cells out here, but the Jedi have never found them as a threat to the Republic."

Kessl nodded in agreement, "Could be a new front."

Thera looked over the datapad, "Can she be questioned yet?"

The Chiss turned back to his monitor, pulling up the mainframe of the mediward. "She's suffered some exposure, but the med database says she's awake."

Obi-wan looked down at the sample orb that was currently taking up residence on Kessl's station. "What can they be used for?"

"'What couldn't it be used for?' Is the question you want to be asking," said the engineer as he turned to shut down his consol. "Cloning is number one. But that takes time. My guess is that your supplies are being used for augmented droidekas. Obi-wan here told me the story about how they got into the temple a few months back. They're the right size and all. What happens when you take your existing droid army and make it so you can't feel 'em through the… whatchamacallit-" his fingers snapped as if trying to conjure the memory. "Force?"

Obi-wan nodded and replied simultaneously with Kessl; "A problem."

Kessl continued as he chewed thoughtfully on his datapen. "Course then you'll need quite the supply of these. Far as I know they don't mechanically enhance a droid at all. Can't say what they'd do on a large enough scale too."

"For now, our concern is where the source is, not it's destination."

Thera frowned. "Surely we need to find out both-"

"That will be a decision for the council, which you will get to report," said Obi-wan as he bid Kessl thanks.

She was on his heels as they headed down to the medilab, "Obi-wan, I don't believe it's appropriate for me to give reports to the council, you're the-"

"The council is not worried about my training anymore." His strides were longer than usual and she hurried to keep up.

"Will you let me finish?" she darted in front of him, halting them in the sanitation foyer of the lab. The sound of fans and thick plastifilm muted their words from the world. "You send me to report such findings and they'll immediately see that I am unfit for this- and by association, you. The council will send other Jedi. In the meantime we would lose valuable time with the one lead that we now have."

"And what's the problem with sending another Jedi?" he challenged calmly.

"Just because I've experienced the same as the captive Padawans, doesn't mean that empathy will cloud my judgment."

Obi-wan crossed his arms in front of him, his stance in a shadow over her. "This is the protocol on field assignment. More than half of our findings have been by chance. Would you like to leave the rest of this up to the same method?"

"You're assuming the worst," she stated bluntly.

"No, you're assuming the worst of the council. There could be many reasons that they would pull us from this assignment. Maybe they have information that could defraud Dimista. Maybe Asajj has been located and the Padawans returned already. We are but a satellite to the Council. You must understand that we can't always see the bigger plan."

She sighed in defeat, Obi-wan's point making her feel a little more than juvenile.

"You do realize that you're still on your first mission," he stated rather than asked.

She rubbed her eyes tiredly, "It feels like we've been doing it forever."

"I understand the feeling." His voice made her look up warily. "The need for closure; for your training and your past. The council is always there, whether the Jedi believe it's needed or not. It's been the flaw of many not to know when to seek guidance."

It was a long moment while Obi-wan looked on, Thera worrying her lip.

"We're wasting time then, aren't we?"

He nodded, "I'll question Dimista while you report to the council."

Obi-wan watched as Thera made her way back to her quarters, her skin pale in the artificial light in stark contrast to her clothing. He had predicted this would come up; her tenacity to stay on the assignment which had turned into more than just a routine escort. In his years as a Padawan, he knew he would have done the same thing. Whereas when Qui-gon would have ordered, Obi-wan found himself listening.

He realized they were now working as a team, rather than master and apprentice. He couldn't help but grin as he entered the medilab.

He wondered if Qui-gon would have objected. But he didn't think long on it; his mentor always had the flair for the unconventional. For once he listened to his instinct that his master would have approved. Qui-gon would not have vouched for his knighthood if he believed otherwise.

* * *

"I first insisted on continuing the investigation. I spoke with Master Kenobi about my concerns. He was clear of the implications that would arise if we continued."

The hologram flickered in front of her. Due to the hour on Coruscant, she was only able to contact Master Yoda, who listened with a trained ear at the recent turn of events. Why would they keep her and Obi-wan on the mission when it continuously turned from bad to worse?

"In your apprehension of the informant, how did you feel?" queried Yoda.

She paused. How did she feel? "I felt… in control. I realized afterwards I no longer held doubts about my connection with the Force."

He nodded, grunting; "Increasing, you said it was. And now?"

"Now…" she trailed off, trying to pinpoint the emotion that had settled over her since returning to the Oberon capital. "Now I feel that I am yet to finish."

"Then finish you and Obi-wan must, young padawan. Only facing this will you overcome." Yoda said, his eyes sharpening.

* * *

Obi-wan looked over the medilab, feigning disinterest at the young woman that sat before him. She was a Verulian hybrid, which explained her elongated appendages. He was now listening to her poor excuse of selling out those she supplied.

"Nemodians don't bother themselves with trade out in this sector."

Dimista scowled, "What would you know? The Jedi never come out here."

"No, but a Sith might."

She froze on the chair, her medical tunic crinkling against the tensing of her muscles. Her jet-black hair was a stark contrast to her near-white skin. Her feet were submersed in a heated bacta bath, trying to save her toes from exposure.

He continued once he had her full attention; "I have an Oberonian senator who owes me a favor. Name where your source is at, and he could change your conviction into a commendation for stopping unsanctioned trade routes."

There was a long moment while Dimista weighed her options. "I need protection."

"Only the Oberon administration can do that."

Her long limbs seemed to contract on her joints, her words strained and quiet. "Asajj Ventress. She never sends via the same location, but I've traced her source code to the Ruasten block."


	19. Dividend

_A much-needed hiatus seems to have rejuvenated my writing style. Although, this author is not above being sent bottles of Greek wine for inspiration on finishing this blasted thing._

* * *

With a burst of light, the shuttle pulled out of hyperspace and into orbit around Coruscant. In the cockpit, Obi-wan and Thera stared at it in silence.

She had spent much of the journey reading up on Ventress's dossier, and Obi-wan even ventured a story on when he had dealt with Asajj in his padawan years. But beyond that he was silent.

"You're very pensive since returning," she commented, not expecting any response.

He only glanced at her fingers as they danced over the console, transmitting the security codes for landing. It was a moment before Thera spoke in a lower tone, the inflection of his speech parroting back at him.

"Yes my Padawan," she said, embellishing his serene voice. "I have been deliberating much lately, yet prefer this mysterious air to our missions. It keeps things interesting; heightens the value of your training."

He crossed his arms, raising his eyebrows as he watched Thera continue with the show.

"No doubt I've experienced multiple Sith encounters, but can't fathom the fact that my Padawan may be ill-prepared."

"You think you're ill-prepared?" he commented, surprise in his voice.

She gave him a grim smile at getting him to talk. "Surely you've felt it; the disturbance in the Force." Her eyes became unfocused and stared the blue-grey atmosphere. "It's like those Coruscanti light storms. Always in the distance…"

But as quick as she faded out, her eyes darted back to the confirmation code that popped up on the console. "Or were you ever going to tell me?"

"We understand each other well enough. And why would I tell you what you already know?"

Thera pinned him with a stare, her voice dropping in seriousness. "You're not taking the lead anymore. I'm pretty sure that's not the way this apprenticeship works."

He leant over the distance, invading her eyeline. "Which is it going to be then? Because I can't understand it." He held his hands out, weighing the options before her. "You can handle your training with all the independence of a Knight of the Republic, yet you need me to direct on a mission. You ask for unorthodox training yet question my every decision since we've left Coruscant."

Her face was blank as she stared down at the controls of the ship, a trait she had mastered from him long ago. Deep inside however, the bond between them was pulled tight like a wire, threatening to break from the unsaid.

"What is it?" he asked, but the question bordered on a plea.

"I can't be surprised. I can't go in knowing that I don't have complete control."

"What makes you think that you don't?"

The question was innocent enough, but the explanation she had for him wasn't so clear. It was only the feeling that she had felt once before.

"In the testing session, I felt like I hit the brink. Like I was going to fall off into… I don't know-"

"The Force?" he prodded.

She swallowed, her lips bowing into a frown. "I don't know what it was, but it was unknown. It scared me. And the last thing I need is to be scared around a Sith."

Over the course of their conversation, the ship landed on a docking bay in a skyline that resembled only the most desolate industrial area on Coruscant.

Obi-wan leaned forward again, as the ship settled, the hydraulics giving a quiet hiss and then silence. "On Oberon, when you were having a hard time disconnecting from the Force… you will have to go through it again."

Thera's face paled, "It was hard, it was disorienting-"

"That's the way your connection works. For many Jedi, it's different- but for you, you finally connected entirely. You just didn't know it."

She looked miffed. "I thought the feeling of connecting to the Force was unmistakable."

He cocked his head, giving a grin. "Who said that?"

"One of those Jedi guest lecturers, if I'm not mistaken."

Silence stretched out between them as the faint humor faded. They had landed in a concealed docking bay, the dust of the platform finally settling down around the ship. The night sky had descended on Coruscant and the unmistakable black clouds on the horizon pushed forward even darker thoughts.

She watched as Obi-wan turned back to her, speaking the words he knew she would fear most. "I wouldn't have you turn to darkness-"

Thera drew back suddenly, a blazing look settling over her features. Her emotions gradually transformed into the challenge that was seeping into her voice. "No, I don't think you would. Because who would really want to see that terrible person I could be? That I was before the Jedi?"

She brushed off her harness and stood over him, her voice growing. "Even the same people who made me who I am, I can hardly trust. I told the council that what they did to test me was dangerous, and the same goes for now- I am trained enough to realize it- and you! _You_ are the only one I trust, and yet you tell me to trust what I can't possibly comprehend! I can't! And I can't lose trust in you. I can't lose you."

The rant ended with an admission; one that she felt was concrete in their bond for some time now. It was silly, looking back on it- in the hollow space of the cockpit on a derelict republic cruiser. The walls around her emotions had now dropped entirely, and she was sure Obi-wan could sense the ache; the sagging of the tether that was heavy with the weight of everything out in the open.

Thera realized she no longer knew what she wanted of Obi-wan. Guidance? No, she had already been instilled with his distinctive intuition. Then what?

Her subconscious whispered the answer in her ear, as daring and terrifying as it was. She watched with baited breath as Obi-wan stood, slowly approaching her until their faces were mere inches apart.

"As soon as you realize that I will never leave you, only then can you fully trust me."

And then quite distinctly, Thera felt the walls crumble completely. Her body shivered with the emotional roar of noise and sank to the floor- or at least her muscles tried, but once again, as if she had ever doubted it, Obi-wan held her up.

A gentle finger hooked under her chin, smearing the trail of tears together that had formed down her face. "I already trust you. I'm just surprised you need me to tell you."

She felt like the waters had receded; her consciousness cleansed again. It was fortunate for their bond, because she was unable to speak.

"This time, you show the way."

* * *

The lower levels of the manufacturing block spanned like desolate fields of soot and permasteel. The half-moon of the docking bay afforded the view, while the gangway unceremoniously led to the dark entrance of the facility. It was a brutal-looking building, only slightly higher in elevation than the rest. The tang of rust and disuse met the two as they disembarked from the ship.

Thera pulled up a schematic of the building, the outdated records on the datapad of little help. Nevertheless she pointed out the main fabrication lab that housed the conditioning of biofluids. The half-moon of the docking bay mirrored a collection of storage containers that were sinister in their familiarity.

"If anything, they would be here."

There was no elaboration as to what they were looking for. The pair cut through the hallways, maintaining the unnatural silence. It was similar in design to the Oberon architecture, almost utilitarian. In the main atrium, all sense of the Force ceased. They were close.

"We're not here to pick a fight," Obi-wan answered the unsaid.

Thera eyed the far left door. "We're not going to get them all out of here with her distracting us either."

"A Sith apprentice is not one to be dueled lightly," he countered.

"Nor in pairs."

Obi-wan shot her a sharp look, but Thera had determinately set off in the direction of the biofuel refinery.

The ominous silence began to wane into the mechanical humming of electricity as they ascended through the building. As they entered a separate wing, the Jedi found an immaculate redevelopment of the lab, down to new permacrete blaster doors that partitioned off the open hallway. Thera found herself running until she was able to see into the first of the plexiglass cells that lined the lab.

The first thing she saw were eyes- her own reflection of disappointment as she gazed into the darkness of the cell only to see, like all the others, that they were empty. She turned to see Obi-wan accessing the main terminal of the lab.

"It looks like they've just been moved. Main platform on the rooftop."

Her heart hammered at the possibility as she approached. She watched as he sent the itinerary of the ship back to the Jedi temple.

"Is there a way that we can get there fast?"

Obi-wan narrowed his eyes at the schematics that appeared and traced his finger down a large vent shaft. The echoing similarity came back to him, but he pushed the memory aside. "This cuts through every other level. It shouldn't be a problem to get up to the main ducts on the rooftop."

She licked her lips. "How many levels to the roof?"

"Sixty seven."

With a quick glance at the other, the pair set off at a run, quickly reaching the exposed ventilation shaft. Obi-wan frowned at the exposed tube, which was nearly twenty feet in diameter. Dangling from the darkness above were plastisteel cables that hauled cargo between levels. Thera watched as he pointed out a particular pair of lines and on instinct, the duo jumped in a graceful arch, simultaneously slicing the lines below their feet. With the counterweights severed they rose quickly through the levels, the air getting colder.

Next to her, Thera watched as Obi-wan squinted upwards against the rushing wind. Almost immediately her heart sank with an iron-clad realization. At once, the familiar pull of the Force took over, and with her ascension, her intuition sank into the back of her mind, into the law of the universe.

* * *

Obi-wan was focused on the exposed opening of the rooftop. Only scaffolding latticed the area, and he was sure he and Thera would be able to propel through easily. At that moment, their bond hummed and a darker shadow fell over them. Obi-wan looked over in warning, only to see Thera propelling herself ever faster upwards.

Without risking their position, he sent a pulse of warning through their bond; as strong as he could manage. Only then did she look down, her expression as sharp and recognizable as it was so long ago when she first fully connected to the Force.

In fast succession, Asajj dropped through the narrow opening and directly for Obi-wan, but in her descent, Thera whipped her weight about and aimed a well-placed kick to her torso, sending her off-course and into the surrounding web of cabling.

Thera released her hold and the two women fell. Obi-wan could only watch as instinct propelled him through the scaffolding, while his bond followed his padawan down into the depths of a dark and unknown outcome.

Her eyes narrowed against the darkness as she descended headfirst, Asajj a little more than an outline that was sporadically illuminated from the exposed floors that sped past. She tried to reach through the Force, searching for the Sith's intentions, but the barrier was still there; a mental disadvantage if there ever was one. Still, she did not like having distance between her and Obi-wan.

_If this woman wanted to fall to her death, so be it._

Sensing the move, the two women grasped the nearest cabling, the momentum righting their figures with a snap, and Thera narrowly deflected the lightsaber that arched against the top of her own cable. Another fiery blaze of red kept the Sith from cutting her counter weight and her ankles.

A surprised look came over Asajj's features and an arched, elegant brow surveyed as she swung in and out of the light. Her figure was taught against the line, very much wrapped around it like a vine.

Black painted lips shaped around the words; "Oh my dear, you keep unfolding like a flower."

* * *

Smoldering droid scrap littered the launch pad, but the trio of droidekas were giving him a problem. A big problem, in fact.

"Blast," he breathed around deflected laser blasts.

If ever he needed a partner, now was the time. The droidekas in front of him were confusing his connection to the Force. The starship beyond them was starting to hum to life as it reverted to emergency controls, and he was running out of options. As if almost by habit, Obi-wan's shoulder slung back, as if to look behind him. In the forefront of his mind, the memory flashed through.

'_Too figurative, Obi-wan,' he could imagine his Master saying, 'Focus on what the Force is telling you now. It responds to the world around us, cluing us in on anything that may disturb the balance. That we can interpret the Force is a testament to us as Jedi, but the code... it allows us not to run away with our personal interpretation, our own experiences.'_

_But what of the Force against itself? he thought. Was it not also... pliable? He focused for a long while on the pool. Slowly, he raised a hand and concentrated on the theory. In the center, a dome began to grow out of the surface under the guidance of his hand. Gradually, inch by inch a large sphere rose out of the water and in the glinting sunlight, it was a fantastical sight to behold. As the water swirled in the confines of the Force, a gasp came from behind him. So intent on his focus, Obi-wan turned quickly, on the defensive. Behind him the water crashed back into the pool, the waves surging around his boots._

_Thera was sitting up, flowers tangled in her braids as she took in the scene, her expression astounded. _

_Obi-wan relaxed, shaking the water from his boots. "I didn't mean to wake you, I apologize."_

_She was still staring, "Was... was that the first time you tried that?"_

He needed to focus.

* * *

_Focus,_ Obi-wan whispered in her mind.

Wrapping the cable around her foot, Thera transferred her weight and swung away to join up with another cable. She had to buy Obi-wan time, and the Sith apprentice that was now appraising her from the red shadows was quickly hatching a plan.

"Such a long way you've come," she purred, her lightsaber swinging nonchalantly around her feet. "You must be nearly a Jedi now…. Of course, I remember when you were first picked. Such a long ways away, that planet was…"

Thera's body turned to stone.

Asajj's bald head tilted in condescension. "Such a quaint name it had too. What was it again?"

Thera's native tongue fell from her lips as she cursed the woman that hung in front of her, just out of reach.

"Fiery indeed. _That _was easy enough to tell. You lasted the longest. That is, until your Master arrived. And when he arrives again, I will destroy him."

Thera's voice came out flat, monotone. "Why not destroy me first?"

"My dear, how can you know true suffering until everything is stripped from you- again?" She turned her head upward as if she could make out the outline of Obi-wan fighting the droids above, "All the more bittersweet."

Goading was her intention, but then again Asajj was never very subtle. She frowned in confusion when instead of a retort, the padawan cut the counterweight to her own cable, and shot upwards. She snarled; the distinct feeling of being thwarted by this girl again was not acceptable.

Asajj cut her counterweight, rising, only to see Thera leap onto her own cable above. Again she jumped, parallel to the last cable nearby, and Asajj had to deflect the advantage from an above attack. A powerful slice was only vaguely blocked, and Thera finally saw the woman's weakness; adaption. She was unaccustomed to such a varying attack; especially at extreme angles.

Wrapping the cable around her thighs, Thera cemented the remainder in place by her heel as she freed her hands for the match.

The duel vaguely reminded Thera of her testing session; nothing but the dark and the uncanny sensation that she wasn't privy to something… Something that felt a lot like a trap.

She felt something creep along her bond with Obi-wan- something foreign and very much slithering its way into her mind. Thera focused, trying to pinpoint the sensation when in mid-swing, her mind's eye took over:

It was very much like the flashes that had first appeared in her mind while regaining her memories, except these were now imprinted on her eyelids in startling clarity. In the space of a second, Thera was able to view herself as she ascended through the course of terrible events into a Sith Queen, with the Jedi dead at her feet.

She gasped, and was blinded by the Sith that now advanced on her with deadly speed and skill as they swung away and towards each other. Asajj could smell blood in the water.

With her side pinching in pain and hands slick with sweat, Thera did the only thing she could coherently think of in the battle, and that was to eliminate the options. With a heavy push of the Force, she distanced herself from her saber lock with Asajj and rappelled along the walls, slashing at every remaining cable within reach.

When she was finished, Asajj had not been idle. The Sith wrapped the cable around her feet in a complicated knot, her other leg anchoring her as she shadowed the padawan, waiting for an opening.

"The only way out is down? Why, how original," she drawled.

Thera blinked away her blurred vision. "Someday you'll have to teach me how you elegantly stall for time."

She knew she wasn't ready when Asajj pushed forward in a vicious offensive. Her arms felt like lead, her face probably the same stark white that was shining down from far above.

Thera pitched forward in a flip that unwound her from her makeshift harness, pinwheeling her blade in a figure eight. The echoing sound of a scream made her look down and see the cauterized stump of Asajj's foot slipping against the cable, then buckling completely. With a dogged swipe underneath her feet, she cut the counterweight, rising with startling speed and leaving a howling Asajj to the darkness below.

In the assent, she stared groggily at the opposing cable, just within reach of her blade and for a moment was lost. There was nothing telling her what to do now. No Obi-wan. No Force. No conscience? She shook her head and blinked.

_Focus_, a voice inside her whispered.

The Force could not tell the options, give you the reasons and outcomes for choices. In the end, the choices made where what defined the Jedi as Jedi. Quite distinctly as she reached the upper levels, the Force let go of its hold, and Thera finally let go of everything painful that had been in her life before then.

And below, anything that remained of Asajj was now dead to the meaning of the Force.

The cable stopped, and jerked painfully against her. Thera gave a slow frown and looked around. The scaffolding had automatically pulled away and with a drunken swing she thew her lightsaber across the shaft and short-circuited the platform panels to close. A slow smile of satisfaction formed as she let go and sank against the ground with a sigh, looking up at the purple Coruscant sky.

She didn't remember what came after that.


	20. Epilogue

**_Considering this entire story derived from the starting image of extending a hand to someone in need, it sort of ended as kismet to see that one of my favorite songs would tie these two together. Please take the time to look at 'Amelia's Hope', which is what this story is derived from._**

**_The performance in this chapter is based on Thera's recollection of songs from her homeworld (which coincidentally exist here, but are not claimed to be created by this author), performed as a charity piece on Coruscant. Others were performed (not necessarily by her)…but I'll leave the rest of that playlist up to you._**

**_Many thanks for reading my labor of love, which started in rural Australia, traveled through NW America, ended in the deserts of Texas, and claimed the lives of many, many wine bottles._**

'_Take My Hand' by Dido_

* * *

Obi-wan piloted his speeder through the twilight skies of Coruscant, cursing delegate Adavar once again. He had just extricated himself from the representative's formal (_and lengthy_, he scowled) apology, and the press conference as he relied on his PR officers to do damage control between Oberon and the Jedi.

Obi-wan cringed at the memory of the last two hours as he looked down at the speeder's chrono.

"Blast," he muttered, and dipped the ship through several speedways of traffic. Another hairpin turn brought him into full view of the Performance Villa; its glittering roof sheltering fantastic arches of color in the fading evening.

Tonight was the last performance. A full week of chances to view her show and he had been detained from every one. A council meeting here, a senatorial address there, and tonight; an audience with Acova that had truly tested his Jedi limits.

Each time, she had simply shook her head. "I'm not worried. I know you'll be there."

Obi-wan pushed aside the negative thoughts and focused on landing the craft, jumping out before it had powered down completely.

_Touch my skin, and tell me what you're thinking _

_Take my hand and show me where we're going _

_Lie down next to me, look into my eyes _

_And tell me, tell me what you're seeing_

The Performance Villa was a modest venue, accommodating only four thousand attendees per performance. This being the last show of the series, word had spread about the offworld music, and the profits donated to charity appealed to senators. The final night was much like all of the nights; a full house.

"And you're singing?"

"Just one or two," she admitted. Obi-wan raised his eyebrows in interest, and she had rolled her eyes to cover her nervousness, "Well I'm not tone deaf."

"Well, _that_… I wouldn't miss for the worlds," he said thoughtfully.

_So sit on top of the world and tell me how you're feeling _

_What you feel is what I feel for you _

_Take my hand and if I'm lying to you _

_I'll always be alone _

_If I'm lying to you_

The energy that the building was emanating through the Force was astounding; a strange mixture of such strong emotion by a large collective… it was something that he had never sensed before. Obi-wan dashed through the main doors and had to steady himself against the admission gates as he asked for the location of the Jedi box.

_See my eyes, they carry your reflection _

_Watch my lips and hear the words I'm telling you _

_Give your trust to me _

_And look into my heart _

_Show me what you're doing_

* * *

"You have a seat for every show," she said distractedly while looking over a booklet of notes at her table. "Though I understand if you can only make it to a rehearsal," she added as an afterthought.

He had slowly drawn the book away from her hands, the original binding now frayed and splotched with ink. Her music notes, sketches, and translations flowed together on the pages from months of use. Thera looked up at him in question.

Obi-wan said nothing as he kneeled down next to her seat, concentrating on their bond. What could he say? Words could not describe the Padawan that constantly unfolded in front of him, the woman next to him that held his heart in her hands, and was content to simply be the guardian of such a power. So he focused…on every grateful element and revelation that she had brought to him.

_So sit on top of the world _

_And tell me how you're feeling _

_What you feel is what I feel for you _

_Take my hand and if I'm lying to you _

_I'll always be alone _

_If I'm lying to you _

_Take your time, if I'm lying to you _

_I know you'll find that you believe me _

_You believe me _

_You believe me_

He watched as her eyes widened and saw when the sensation rolled over her through the Force. At first she sucked in a gasp, thunderstruck by the emotion and seemingly frozen. He had no time to react as she launched herself, throwing her arms around his neck, causing him to lose balance and fall back on his heels and onto the floor.

Obi-wan groaned in protest for his spine, but as he opened his eyes, his breath caught. Thera was looking down at him; a curtain of dark hair enclosing their faces only inches apart. Her rare and wondrous smile was blocking out his thoughts and vision.

"Yes, I feel the same," she whispered.

_Feel the sun on your face _

_And tell me what you're thinking _

_Catch the snow on your tongue _

_And show me how it tastes_

The music echoed down the hallways as Obi-wan tore through the upper levels. His cloak flew out behind him as he ran, boots only skidding to a stop just outside the reserved Jedi box.

_Take your time_

Master Yoda and Depa were in their seats, accompanied by a small group of padawans that he had seen on the rescued starship so long ago. The balcony was set slightly above the level of the stage, and as he made his way through the seats, Obi-wan settled his hands on the railing and took in the view.

And there she was.

Onstage with a full Jendoan orchestra, the music soared through the rafters. Her face was already turned up to the railing that he leant over. And although the stage lights may have been blinding, in her mind's eye his ethereal glow outshone everything else. Her smile told him so.

_Take my hand and if I'm lying to you _

_I'll always be alone _

_If I'm lying to you _

_Take your time, if I'm lying to you _

_I know you'll find that _

_You believe me _

_Take my hand, and if I'm lying to you_

_I'll always be alone if I'm lying to you_

_Take your time, and if I'm lying to you_

_I know you'll find that_

_You believe me_

_You believe me_

_You believed in me_

Over time and distance, the planet shines just as brightly as the star.


End file.
